Birds Love Namimori
by Vermiculo Umbra
Summary: Sawada Tsunayoshi: Student Council President by day, victim of paperwork cruelty by night, and upcoming Vongola Decimo twenty-four-seven. Despite this, his life had been relatively peaceful for his last year of middleschool. What're the odds that everything goes to hell once highschool hits and Hibari Kyouya meets someone with even more questionable morals that he? (OCs, slight AU)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Hello world. I would like to start by thanking you for gracing this humble story with you mouseclick. This is by no means my first story, but it is one if the first times I've ever published anything here. I usually just kinda lurk around FF. Like a stalker.**

**Enough of me. Enjoy, reader-sama. I hope.**

* * *

Tsuna slammed his head on the desk and groaned loudly, wrinkling the black and gold striped blazer he was wearing.

"Hang in there, Jyuudaime! We're almost done."

Over a year ago, when Tsuna had been a second year of the Middle School Division of Namimori Gakuen, he had taken a week off school because of a cold.

That one week also happened to be the Academy-wide elections week for pairs of aspiring Presidents and Vice Presidents of the Student Council. Gokudera, the eager beaver he was, ran for Tsuna and himself to fill the respective positions.

Finding the notion of Dame-Tsuna being the President so amusing, many students innocently voted for him as a joke, not knowing that throughout the entire Academy hundreds of students had the same idea. Yes, because the _entire campus_, from the first-years in the Primary School Division to the third-years of the High School Division, was managed by _one _Council.

And winning by a landslide that year for the position of President of said powerful Council was one Sawada Tsunayoshi.

But that wasn't the end of it. With Gokudera by his side and Reborn pushing him, saying it was good practice for when he would inherit the Famiglia, Tsuna did _such_ a good job of being President that he was re-elected the next year.

And the year after that.

Sawada Tsunayoshi had been the first middle-school student to ever become President, and now was well on his way to breaking the record for the longest term in office as well- a record of three years that had been left behind by someone named Yoshimune, who had been the President all three years of his high school life.

Tsuna sat back up and sighed, straightening his blazer morosely and getting back to the paperwork. He had a throbbing headache that was just made worse by the head-banging, and his coffee was still nowhere to be seen.

It was almost six PM on a windy Friday. The sky outside still held a tinge of pinkness from the recent sunset, the April clouds threatening rain as usual. The only ones still at school were a few of Namigaku's more hardcore clubs, the Student Council and it's committees, and those on an especially harsh detention for repeated offenders of school rules.

Needless to say, all of Tsuna's Guardians were in the Council, in high spots. Thanks to Reborn's persuasion, of course. Heck, every head position he could think of was filled by someone he knew closely save the Detention Committee, and that was only because the Detention Committee had been in the hands of the same family for twelve years, and had a famous legacy that the school didn't dare break even for Hibari Kyouya.

Gokudera Hayato was singlehandedly the Vice-President, Treasurer, and the Chairman of the Academic Committee. Almost everything that Tsuna didn't do as the President, Gokudera did. The brunet looked over to his hard-working Storm Guardian, and knew he was every bit as frazzled as he was, silver hair falling out of its ponytail, glasses slightly askew.

In Tsuna's office was one big desk with the bay window giving the main courtyard as a backdrop, usually with giant stacks of folders and papers all over it- Tsuna's desk. To his right was Gokudera's slightly smaller desk, also piled with papers, with a background of filing cabinets, and to his left was Chrome Dokuro's, the Secretary's, desk, surrounded by telephones and mobiles.

The main communications line of the Student Council was currently missing, however, having taken three phones away with her just in case, as she had been called off by a certain pineapple-haired Historian somewhere.

The Student Council suite was on the same floor as the faculty's offices. Upon entry to the suite, one would find a friendly waiting room, with a coffee table and couches. Straight across from the double-door entrance was the door to the Social Chairperson's office, which also held the desks of the Historian and the Events Coordinator.

To the left was a glass wall revealing a meeting room, and a floor-to ceiling window directly opposite the glass wall, allowing one to look over the sports fields from a couch in the waiting room.

To the right was the entrance to the President's office, often left open invitingly as it was that evening, as Chrome returned with a tray of hot mugs.

"Boss, I got us some coffee."

"Ah, Chrome, thank you," he said sincerely as he handled his mug with both hands, inhaling the heavenly scent. At some point during his time in the President's office Tsuna had grown to have a fond attachment to coffee. "I really needed this."

Gokudera grunted something of similar sentiments as Chrome set his mug carefully into the special indent in the corner of his table just for such a purpose, barely looking up from his papers.

"Ah, what was it that Mukuro wanted?" Tsuna asked as he sipped his coffee.

"Ah, he needed to get a photo of this year's Sports' Committee, so I pointed him in the right direction."

"Oh, right, the newspaper club did ask for something like that… It _is_ a pain to have the committees scattered around the school like this, but then again, they wouldn't all fit on one floor anyways, na?"

"Mn," Chrome agreed quietly, returning to her desk and going over the notes from the most recent Arts Committee meeting.

Almost as soon as she sat down, one of the many cordless phones on her desk rang. She picked it up with practiced efficiency and answered.

After a while as the Student Council Secretary, Chrome had learnt the value of talking. Practically half her job was to talk and help other people get messages across to each other, and so she had come out of her shell a bit to fulfill the role as best as she could. Tsuna was glad for the change. While still generally quiet and gentle-voiced, at least he knew Chrome was able to talk to other people besides him and his friends now.

"Yes?... Ah, Yukimura-san, how can I help you?... Oh, dear." She scribbled a note. "Alright, I'll forward that to Hibari-san. Thank you. Bye." After she hung up she immediately pulled out one of the mobiles in her Student Council blazer's inside pocket and made a speed dial.

"Hibari-san? It's Chrome. Yukimura-san says that one of the students in detention escaped, and now she has to stay there to watch the rest, and she's asking if you could track him down?... Ah, student ID number eight-six-seven-seven-five-four… Thank you, Hibari-san. That student needs to be taken back to the gym. Goodbye."

"That's a first," Tsuna commented lightly. "I've never heard of a student actually desperate enough to try to escape detention before… you'd think with our discipline system…"

There were three committees involved with discipline in Namigaku. The first 'layer of defense', if you would, was the Environmental Committee. Charged with the job of making sure Namigaku looks good, they also had the obligation to warn students about any rules broken in their uniform or behavior.

Currently this committee was officially being run by Kozato Enma, though he was more in charge of the beautification half of the committee. The other half was run by Suzuki Adelheid, giving warnings to students and forwarding repeated offenders to the Discipline Committee.

The Discipline Committee was the second layer of rule enforcement. They actively punished students on the spot and followed up repeated offenders, and had for the last nine years been run by Hibari Kyouya. But of course, they were also given the power to hand out detentions, which were in turn handled by the Detention Committee.

The Detention Committee of Namigaku was infamous for having a sense of humor. Just the year before, after a verbal brawl gone ugly had been broken up by the Discipline Committee, all students that had been involved were then to serve the strange punishment of having to walk around for a week with their mouths duct-taped shut.

And in charge of the Detention Committee that year, after her brother graduated the year before, was a Yukimura Suzume. Rumor had it that she could read minds, with her uncanny ability to see through people's worst fears and embarrassments that her older brother, Yukimura Shou, and his older brother, Yukimura Shinichi, had both also had. Tsuna wondered how horrible a detention she could have possibly have come up with for a student to actually risk _running away_ from a Namigaku detention.

Well, by the way Hibari was stalking after one terrified, pale male student; said student was about to learn that it's _never_ worth trying to run away from a Namigaku detention.

* * *

Hibari kicked the door of the gym open and dumped the quivering mass called a _student_ on the floor.

"Yukimura Suzume. Is this the package you requested?" he called out into the hall. He looked about the room, where students were sat at desks with their feet in plastic tubs, writing essays.

Wait, feet in tubs?

"Ah, yes, Hibari-san. Thank you. Come now, Tanaka-kun, you just wasted your own time," she tutted.

Yukimura Suzume met Hibari's height, with dark eyes and extremely long, black hair braided into a rope-like piece, currently thrown loosely around her hips. Near the end of the braid was braided in what appeared to be a metal hair ornament, heavy enough that Yukimura felt the need to hold onto the end of her braid, fingering the smooth ornament almost absentmindedly as she sat the escaped student back into his seat after telling him to take off his shoes and socks.

She strode back to Hibari. "Thank you for your help, Hibari-san. I would have gone after him myself, but then who knows what these hooligans would try."

"Where are your committee members?"

"The three meant to be on duty today called in sick- it appears they ate some bad meat."

Hibari looked down at the plastic tubs, the student nearest them sweating profusely as his hand shook, struggling to write.

"What is in the tubs?"

"Oh. This and that. Mainly tadpoles. Though someone might have an eel or two."

Hibari stared at her, and was almost tempted to look into the tub for proof, but that would have been unlike him. Instead he simply blinked, nodded, and walked off.

He sent a message to Chrome.

* * *

The Secretary frowned as a phone buzzed. She picked it up, and after a moment frowned and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Boss?"

"Mn?"

"Do we have an Ethics Committee?"


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I am ridiculously giddy over the first review. So thank you, Lunakatsuma, for making my day as well. **

**Enjoy, reader-sama(s). **

**(Yes, I'm rather giddy over the follows and favourites as well. So ignore the poor Japanese grammar and just know that I know that you're there which lets ****_me_**** know that someone is actually reading this story and so prompts me to let ****_you_**** know that I am happy about it. Ow, my head hurts...)**

* * *

Mornings in the Sawada household were always peaceful. It was particularly so in this case, with the sun shining, the birds chirping, and Tsunayoshi with a gun pointed to his head.

"Morning, Reborn," the boy muttered as he sat up, slipping into his slippers. "What time is it?"

"Seven."

The boy sighed, hand in his hair as he whipped off his pajamas and pulled on his uniform. "And it's a Monday… So I have fifteen minutes to get to school before I'm late for the morning meeting…" he turned to look at his tutor. "Why so generous today?"

The tall man leaned against Tsuna's dresser, shrugging elegantly. After a long and arduous adventure, the ex-Arcobaleno had made it through Iron Hat's games not only alive, but returned to their proper forms. It had taken a full three weeks for Tsuna to understand that one particular man _really was Reborn_, but other than that, since then, things had been peaceful in the upcoming Decimo's life.

Which was never a good sign.

"I heard that your Cloud Guardian inquired about the school's Ethics Committee yesterday," Reborn started.

"Mn?" Tsuna prompted as he did up his blazer.

"I'm curious as to what on earth disturbed our dear Head Prefect so much that he felt the need to question the morals of the Academy."

Tsuna stopped, and looked up at Reborn. "What makes you think that he has to be disturbed by something to care for the welfare of our students?"

Reborn gave him a look, not even bothering to raise his gun.

"…Right. But remember Kyouya-san really does look out for the wellbeing of students. I'm sure he's just concerned about the rising rate of Spartan teachers this year," Tsuna said pointedly, raising an eyebrow at his hitman tutor.

The man lowered his hat and shrugged. "Don't look at me; I'm just the school counselor. It's your fault for letting Colonnello teach PE."

* * *

In the glass-walled boardroom, Gokudera Hayato looked around at the assembled Heads of the Student Council in an irritated manner.

Well, more at the _lack_ of certain Heads of the Student Council.

_Most_ of the top members were there- Kyoko, Haru, Chrome, Yamamoto, Shouichi, Ryohei, Fuuta, Lambo, Enma, heck, even Mukuro had shown up that morning. But the heads of the Discipline and Detention Committees had seen fit to send their vice-chairmen instead that morning.

As they had seen fit to do for _every freakin' morning meeting since the school year started._

"Oi, Kusakabe. Didn't I tell your damn Iinchou to start attending meetings already?"

The man with the pompadour shrugged, his silver-striped blazer crinkling ever so slightly. "Kyo-san needs to watch the gate in the mornings. It can't be helped."

The Vice-President's eye twitched. He nodded to the other long-haired male of the table. "And you, Aoshima? Where's yours?"

The slender man shrugged his shoulders as well, long ash-grey hair shifting minimally, as it was tied tightly together near its ends, somewhere down by his back. His silvery-grey eyes flickered across his nails, only looking up to reply. "Suzume-iinchou patrols the buildings in the mornings to catch up with detention-ditchers. It seems there were quite a few on Friday."

Gokudera put a hand to his face and reached for his coffee.

"Ah... Gokudera-kun, it's true that they're busy in the mornings though… Even Adelheid patrols the grounds in the morning," Enma said quietly, offering a comforting hand on Gokudera's shoulder.

"…Thanks for trying, Other Jyuudaime…."

It was here that the President arrived, for once not looking like he had run to school. He took his seat at the head of the able, checked that all the other seats were filled, and started the meeting.

* * *

Reborn made his way down the hallway at a leisurely pace, taking in the sights and sounds of the Namimori Academy High School Division with little interest.

That is, until a terrified-looking second year that Reborn knew was named Moritaka skidded into the corridor with a cloud of dust in his wake, and spotted him. "Reborn-sensei! Please! Help-"

Something black and rope-like whipped out from around the corner, wrapping snugly around the student's neck and pulling him momentarily out of sight.

Yukimura Suzume appeared, with Moritaka attached to the end of her braid, tugging him along like a disobedient puppy, both hands on her rope of hair, which was obviously a lot stronger than it looked.

"So that's what the ornament is for," Reborn said curiously. "I was wondering why a Detention Committee Chairman would personally break a school rule for vanity."

"Ah, Reborn-sensei. Ohayou gozaimasu. I'm sorry about the influx of cases you may have after Friday's detention."

The man shrugged, tipping down his hat a little. "It's what I'm for. Though, pray tell me, what did Friday's detention entail?"

Yukimura tugged on her hair to stop Moritaka from trying to escape. "Well, the students were to write an essay about their behaviour while bathing their feet among various aquatic creatures. I personally don't understand what was so terrible about it, though perhaps one or two of the eels may have been electric…"

"...I see." He had just gotten an idea for the next time Tsuna tried to procrastinate writing an essay. "Well, I won't keep you now. Would you like me to tell Moritaka's homeroom teacher of his current situation?"

"Ah, yes please, that would be nice; he'll be with me for a while." A squeak that was silenced by a tug. "It would save me the trouble of calling Chrome-san." Her amber-brown eyes lit up in amusement as Moritaka wriggled on his 'leash'. "Well then, a good day to you, Reborn-sensei." And with that she was off.

Reborn shrugged and stepped into his office, and as promised, there was the large pile of new appointments made by students to see the counselor.

* * *

"…And so 'x' equals six and 'y' equals four… Are you paying attention, Sawada-san?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, sensei- no, yes, I'm listening."

The class gave him sympathetic glances as he put a hand in his hair and started taking down notes. It must've been hard to balance schoolwork and managing a three-thousand-and-then-some student body. But he did a darn good job of the latter, so they figured his studies had a right to suffer a little.

Suddenly they heard a yell outside, and a brick flew through the window, missing Tsuna's head by millimeters and landing on his desk. He quickly scanned the letter attached to it and groaned.

"Jyuudaime, what is it?" Gokudera said calmly, leaning over his boss's shoulder. Though he sounded collected, the bomber's fingers twitching towards his blazer's pockets said otherwise.

"Ah… Momokyokai. Hey, isn't that the people we played with that one time?" Yamamoto said cheerfully, Shigure Kintoki over one shoulder.

Tsuna sighed, looking out the window… to see the Detention Committee Chairman walking towards the yakuza members?

"Boss! Are you alright? We saw them approaching," Chrome said as she entered the classroom, Mukuro following behind. They were a year above Tsuna, and shared a class. Their classroom was directly above Tsuna's, so he figured they had guessed what was happening.

"Un… It's just the usual challenge letter from the local yakuza… but what's Yukimura-san doing?"

Back out on the school's grassy courtyard, the chairman seemed to be getting irritated, as the ringleader stepped up to tower over her, gesticulating wildly with his arms. So she raised her voice.

"Alright, I'll speak in your language." She straightened and cleared her throat, starting to spin her braid with her right hand. "GET OFF OUR LAWN OR I'LL SHOVE A PINEAPPLE UP YOUR SORRY-"

Mukuro covered Chrome's ears. "Oya, oya," he sweat-dropped. "That is a strange and unusual threat."

"And I had thought Yukimura-san was the calm type," the girl said quietly.

Apparently not, as she incapacitated the entire dozen Momokyokai members within the next three minutes, knocking them out with flicks of her wrist, her braid flying out and making fleshy sounds as the ornament on its end met with bone and… well, flesh.

Yukimura sighed as she gathered up the bodies into a pile with her foot, getting out her mobile to text her Vice-Chairman.

Just what were these goons doing at her school anyway, interrupting her precious… _bonding_ time with the detention-ditchers with their yelling? It was just plain rude.

"Yukimura Suzume. Is this your doing?"

She snapped her mobile shut after sending the text for a clean-up crew, and faced one Hibari Kyouya, who did not look amused. His gold-striped Disciplinary Committee gakuran fluttered ominously in the breeze, tonfas given away by a glint among the shadows of his arms.

"Why yes, it is. They were disrupting my time with the detention-ditchers."

"Do you know them?"

She shook her head, but poked the unconscious ringleader's jacket open with a foot."Hm. Momokyokai… isn't that the local yakuza?"

Hibari's eyes narrowed. He turned around to look at the shattered window where Tsuna waved weakly, before turning back to glare at the words stitched onto the inside of the ringleader's jacket.

"Cancel your clean-up crew. The Disciplinary Committee will take it from here."

She sighed quietly but took out her mobile as requested, sending another text to Aoshima. "If you say so. Now if you'll excuse me, I haven't finished having fun with my dear detention-ditchers…" she started to walk off.

"Yukimura."

"Hm?"

"…Have them back in class by the end of lunch. Or you will be held responsible for their truancy."

"…I guess I can skip the water torture…"

"_Lunchtime_, Yukimura."

She sighed, fingering the end of her braid, giving off the aura of a kicked puppy, before meeting Hibari's gaze. "Fine. I'll shorten the time in the Cat Room as well…"

The top disciplinarian of Namigaku furrowed his eyebrows.

"Cat room?"

Her lips turned up slightly, into a somewhat disturbing smile. "I'll show you sometime."

* * *

At lunch, Tsuna peered worriedly at Moritaka. He was shivering in his seat, eyes constantly darting left and right, feet twitching.

"Ano, Moritaka-kun… Are you alright?"

"Ah? Kaichou… KAICHOU!" the boy threw himself from his chair onto the President, sobbing hysterically into his blazer. "It was _horrible_, Kaichou! She has to be stopped! St-stopped!"

"Who? Moritaka-kun, what are you talking about?"

Gokudera looked tempted to kick the small, navy-haired boy off of his boss, but knew that Tsuna would disapprove, and so stayed still.

"That-that woman… the-the Detention Chairman…"

"Yukimura-san?"

"DON'T SAY HER NAME OUT LOUD!" he screeched. "She's- she's even worse than her brother! She's the worst one so far! Kaichou, please do something!"

Gokudera raised an eyebrow. "Isn't the Detention Committee the one that has a sense of humor? What did she do? Hang you out the window and spank you with a broom?"

"H-humor… they have it alright. DARK humor, Fukukaichou! Sick, twisted, _dark_ humor!" Moritaka continued to whimper into Tsuna's chest.

"Uh… there now, Moritaka-kun… I'll see what I can do, okay?" He patted the boy's head awkwardly.

"You're the best kaichou ever!..."

Adelheid, happening to pass by, took a glance into the classroom and carried on.

Before backtracking.

"SAWADA! WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT WINDOW?"

Coffee. Tsuna needed coffee.

* * *

"Herbivores. Crowding in the hallways after three-thirty is prohibited."

"GYAA! HAI, HIBARI-SAMA! WE'RE LEAVING NOW!"

Stalking down the halls, the infamous Chairman paused at a particular set of stairs going down to the High School building's basement. A black plastic sign hung on chains above the entrance to the dark abyss, with the words 'DETENTION CENTRE' written in bold, off-white lettering.

On the left wall of the beginning of the stairwell was a detailed sign warning students that any enquiries with the Detention Committee should be given to the Secretary to pass on, as the Detention Committee took no responsibility for the sanity of innocent students who may dare to enter the Detention Centre of their own will.

Hibari had passed the entrance to the famed Detention Centre many times, but this was the first time he paid any special attention to it. He was able to reason, and so had figured out that the gym must have been only used on rare occasions when they ran out of room in the Detention Centre, as before last Friday Hibari had never witnessed a detention being carried out in the gym.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he started down the stairwell, as it was indeed a stairwell; unlike the vertical ninety-degree stairways of the rest of the school, the stairs down to the Detention Centre reminded one of the inside of a tower, especially when it started going underground, with cement walls and small, sparse yellow lamps.

When he finally arrived into the dark corridor, the first thing he heard was someone begging for mercy. Denying the shiver down his spine, the disciplinarian pushed on with the purpose of investigating the nature of true Namigaku detentions first-hand.

He went past various rooms, from those labeled simply 'Room One' and 'Room Two' to those such as the 'Bamboo Room' and the 'Cat Room' he had heard about from Yukimura.

In the badly lit corridor, which was lit by the same small yellow wall lamps as the stairwell, everything looked a lot more intimidating. Hibari suspected that the doors were the same kind of doors used in the rest of the school, yet when they were lit so brightly from inside among the darkness of the corridor, revealing scratches and flaky paint fading off into the shadows, Hibari got the uncomfortable feeling that he didn't know Namigaku as well as he thought he did.

The door of one room labeled the 'Coat Room' was left ajar, and Hibari approached it carefully, tonfas gripped tightly. He peered in to find rows upon rows of students hanging upside down from the ceiling, dripping with scarlet…

"I demand to know what is going on here," he said unwaveringly, slamming the door open. The room was well-lit, and revealed a horror Hibari never knew existed in Namimori.

Aoshima stood there with a tub of scarlet liquid before him. The room was laid out like a windowless classroom, with a dusty blackboard in the front, and a creaky desk before which Aoshima stood at with the tub, staring at Hibari in a baffled manner.

The room was devoid of desks and chairs. Instead, many towels were laid out on the floor, and tied to the high metal lattice built into the room were students being hung up by their ankles, dripping with red water.

"Hibari? What are you doing here?"

"Hibari-san?"

"Hibari-sama?"

"HIBARI! SAVE US!"

"SAVE US!"

"QUIET!" Aoshima roared, slamming a long wooden object to the blackboard, immediately silencing them. "Hibari, I don't recommend that you stay for long. What is it you want?"

"I demand to know what you did to these students," his voice shook with rage. "This is physical abuse that even I will not condone."

"Physical abuse? Wha-" the grey-haired boy looked out around the room. "Oh. Oh. No, Hibari, this isn't what it looks like." Aoshima dipped a hand in the tub of scarlet liquid in front of him and held it out to the prefect, who recoiled.

Then the skylark stopped, and peered at the liquid more carefully.

He sniffed at it.

Then, tentatively, he dipped a finger in the small pool in Aoshima's hand and brought the finger to his tongue.

A silence.

"…Cranberry juice?"

"Mhm. These students were all convicted of drinking in the library, so their punishment is to endure what it would have been like for a book if they had spilled anything on them. Suzume-iinchou doesn't like wasting things if she can help it, so we took some of the least popular juice from the Primary School Division's cafeteria." In Aoshima's other hand, being twirled absentmindedly, was what turned out to be a long ruler.

"…And that was… cranberry juice."

"Mhm."

Hibari blinked, and then turned to the students, who all looked away from him ashamedly. Actually, now that he took a closer look, he could recognize some people that he himself had convicted.

"The sweet juice is really sticky and itchy as it dries, and because they're hanging upside-down it's guaranteed to stain their hair for days."

"And the tub…"

"I flick some more juice at them every so often to keep them soaked."

"…"

Hibari slowly took out his mobile phone, and lifted it up to eye level.

* * *

Chrome picked up a phone, flicked it open, and gasped, covering her mouth with her free hand.

"Chrome? What is it?"

"Bo-boss… I agree with Hibari-san…"

Tsuna frowned and got up, looking over Chrome's shoulder.

The message said 'WE NEED AN ETHICS COMMITTEE', and was followed by a picture of students hanging upside down in well-lit room, dripping with an all-too familiar looking crimson liquid.

The last thing Sawada Tsunayoshi heard that day before his head met the ground was "Jyuudaime, what's wro- HOLY MOTHER OF-"

* * *

Hibari put his phone away, nodding to himself. Tsunayoshi would definitely agree that this was a complete waste of fruit juice, not to mention it was unnecessarily taking away resources from the Primary School Division.

What had the children done to them to deserve to have their cranberry juice taken away just so their humor-loving Detention Committee could have fun punishing people?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: Eek. More reviews. I almost don't know what to do with my excitement. But of course, in the end, I ended up using it as fuel to write more. Thanks again to Lunakatsuma for being awesome, and all the people that reviewed. Even you, Yume Li, with just three words. Every person in the reviews section touches me heart. You know who you are. Just seeing that I have enough reviews to need to scroll up and down makes me giggle like a schoolgirl.**

**Wait. I technically am a schoolgirl. Oh well.**

**I love all your questions and speculation, but am afraid that I have decided to be that annoying author that answers them as the story progresses instead of in an A/N. Sorry. -dodge tomatoes-**

**This ranting has gone on far too long for my liking. Onwards, reader-samas, to the story.**

* * *

Gokudera Hayato was _this close_ to throwing his empty coffee mug when Kusakabe Tetsuya walked into the boardroom.

"It's not bad enough that Hibari doesn't attend his own meetings is it? Even the _replacement that he sends_ needs to be_ late_?"

"Maa, Hayato, it's eight o' clock sharp. He isn't late," Yamamoto said in his pacifist way of his.

"WHAT KIND OF PERSON TURNS UP TO AN EIGHT O' CLOCK MEETING AT EIGHT O' CLOCK!"

Tsuna winced as his right-hand yelled in his right ear. "Sorry, Kusakabe-san, but there are more middle school students needing after-school tuition this year than usual, and the Academic Committee is currently short-staffed, so…"

The man nodded. Those poor kids. "I am sorry for arriving at the last minute, though," Kusakabe said as he sat down. "Kyo-san had an errand to run this morning."

Tsuna sweat-dropped. "Errand?"

"Yes, he said something about peaches…"

Tsuna put a hand to his forehead. "Momokyokai."

Gokudera grinned. "You almost feel sorry for those bastards."

"Yes, well, while he was out I had to man the gate. I originally had intended on sending someone else here, but Yukimura-san took over for me just in time."

Tsuna face went a strange shade of blue for a moment. "That reminds me… I need to talk to her. Anyhow, let's start the meeting. Takeshi, I heard that the soccer and American football teams are having an argument…"

* * *

Hibari raised an eyebrow as he approached Namigaku's main gate. Standing at it was none other than the Detention Chairman herself.

She looked up and nodded, straightening from her leaning position against the wall, opening the gate for him to enter. He had a key, making her actions unnecessary, but Hibari didn't feel like wasting his breath.

"I saw your fukuiinchou here this morning. I figured you'd gone off to take care of those trespassers yesterday."

"Hm."

"I told your homeroom teacher that you're doing business with the Detention Committee and that you'd be back by lunch."

He looked at her as she closed the gate. She met his gaze.

"By the caliber of those sent yesterday, I deduced that our local yakuza isn't very strong."

A raised eyebrow.

"They threw a brick through a private academy's window. Why else would they be stupid enough to do that?"

He shrugged ever so slightly and walked off. Yukimura went in the opposite direction to avoid being bitten to death for crowding him.

* * *

"Ah- Yukimura-san. I need to talk to you…"

Tsuna had found out which class the Detention Chairman resided in and caught her on her way out at lunch. Though she seemed to be in a bit of a hurry.

"Aoshima told me. That was a misunderstanding. The liquid was fruit juice. Advise your Disciplinarian Chairman to use longer sentences in the future. Perhaps give him lessons in communication."

Tsuna stood with his mouth open, finger up in the air, as Yukimura hurried away.

The Detention Chairman was concerned for a certain group of detention-ditchers she had left unattended that morning. Too much time in the Water Room was bad for one's health.

After a couple seconds, Tsuna dropped his hand, closed his mouth, and got out his mobile.

Hibari was getting communication lessons.

* * *

"Yukimura Suzume. For being the cause of a Chairman wasting an hour a day in _communication lessons_," he spat, "I shall bite you to death."

Yukimura frowned as she looked up from where she was packing her books into her desk, about to leave to go to the Detention Centre. Her eyes widened a fraction as she stopped an oncoming tonfa with her arm.

Note for Future Reference: _Never attempt to block an incoming blow from Hibari Kyouya with anything less than a military-grade weapon._

Pain shot through her arm with a clean crack, and she hissed as she backed away. Hibari stood poised, the rest of the class scurrying out before they got caught in the crossfire.

Yukimura lowered her centre of gravity and held her braid limply with her right hand, left stretching back for balance-

-Grabbing the windowsill and flipping herself out.

Blinking, the head prefect followed.

Out on the open grounds, the skylark chased Yukimura around for a good several minutes before he managed to corner her, backed up against the baseball field's safety fence.

"Hibari-san, please think about this rationally. If anyone is to be bitten to death, should it not be the one that is wasting your time, not the one who caused the waste?"

Hibari's thoughts briefly flashed to Tsuna and Chrome. "I have deemed them a neutral party. You, however, could have avoided telling Tsunayoshi I have communication issues."

"Wait-" But before she could carry on, Hibari was approaching again. Clenching her teeth and hoping she timed it right, Yukimura swung out her braid and managed to rip a tonfa out of the skylark's hand, which made him stop for a second.

Yukimura caught the tonfa as it flew towards her, and tried again to talk her way out of the situation. "I never said that you have communication issues. I only suggested that you learn more open ways of expressing your thoughts in order to prevent misunderstanding."

"That blatantly implies I have communication issues." He lunged again, with one tonfa held in both hands, lifted to chin level.

Yukimura dodged with a leap into the air, clinging onto the baseball fence, climbing up until she was a few feet above Hibari's head before trying again.

"Anyway, isn't spending all this effort trying to bite me to death wasting your time as well?"

Hibari didn't respond, only leaping up onto the fence himself and starting to chase her up it.

Five minutes later, the two were each balancing precariously on the top of the fence, Yukimura trying not to look down as she threw her stolen tonfa aside, resisting the temptation to watch it falling a long, _long _way down. "Hibari-san, is there no other way for us to resolve this?"

"You must be bitten to death," he stated. Yukimura blinked and hoped she had imagined the pouting puppy aura she had just seen around the other Chairman.

He ran along the fence and flipped his tonfa out to strike her, and she ducked under at the last half a second. In order not to trip over her and fall off the fence, he let go of his remaining tonfa in favor of meeting the fence top with his hands, to swing and lodge his feet into the mesh of the fence, before climbing back up onto the thin pole.

"Hibari-san, you are now weaponless. I highly advise for you to stop and return to your duties, as I urgently need to attend to mine."

"You _shall_ be bitten to death."

The way she held her braid out in defense as she accepted the inevitable reminded Hibari of a certain Bucking Bronco.

And that just annoyed him even more.

He lunged forward and sparred with her barehanded, narrowly avoiding her metal-laden braid as it swung and flicked around him. Though her style was different than Dino's, it had the same basic principles, and he was getting used to it.

So he was able to predict her sweep at his feet, and leapt up and over it, reaching out with his hands for her neck.

What he didn't expect was for her to react fast enough to beat aside both his hands _while he was in the air_, and he crashed into her, eyebrows raised and mouth parted in surprise.

And of course, they lost balance.

And fell a long, _long _way down.

* * *

Yamamoto Takeshi was on his way to the baseball clubroom, after he had gone and settled the dispute between the soccer and American football clubs over use of the field.

It was only his instinct that told him to look up at that moment, as he was walking along the safety fence.

Eyes widening slightly, he put a knee to the ground, and stretched his arms out.

In them landed a mess of limbs, black hair, and gold-striped black fabric.

"Ah, Kyouya, Yukimura-san. What were you guys doing up there?" he said with a chuckle.

Hibari was the first to extricate himself from the unseemly position, feeling his jaw for anything broken.

Yukimura sat up in Yamamoto's arms, looking up to identify the Chairman of the Sports Committee. "Ah, Yamamoto-san, thank you." She got out of his grasp, left hand going to finger the teeth marks now indented in the flesh near her collarbone. She frowned at Hibari.

"You weren't kidding when you said you were going to bite me to death, were you?"

"Hn." He walked off, job done, presumably to go find his tonfas.

* * *

"Shamal-sensei, are you in?"

The man blinked and sat up from his nap at his desk, rubbing his stubble. "Come in."

To his delight, it was _girl_ that time. A _high school_ girl no less! Shamal immediately snapped from his sleepy daze to attend to the girl.

"Sit down, sit down! Now to what do I owe the honor of bringing you here today?"

"You can thank Hibari Kyouya later," the girl with the long braid said as she held out her right arm gingerly, appearing swollen along the forearm.

Shamal frowned and assumed his doctoring persona. He gently took her arm and inspected it, careful not to twist or bend it. "What happened?"

"I tried to stop one of his tonfas with my arm."

With that Shamal straightened, getting up from his chair, opening his drawer and grabbing a set of keys. "And you heard a crack?"

"Yes."

"Definitely broken. No human bone can fend off Hibari."

"Evidently. Are we going to visit the hospital?"

"Mhm. I want to get that x-rayed and get it in a splint as soon as possible. And perhaps afterward, we could go for a coffee?" he added lightly, grin on his face.

To his surprise, the girl nodded. "A coffee sounds nice. I think I need one."

* * *

"Suzume-iinchou, your bag."

Aoshima met them in the parking lot with his Chairman's belongings, face impassive, hair moving lightly in the breeze.

"Thank you, Aoshima," she said as she took her bag with her left hand.

"Are you sure you don't want me to accompany you?"

"No, I will most likely be gone for the rest of the school day. You must stay and watch over the Centre while I am gone."

"Understood. I will call you tonight, then."

"Mn."

* * *

Kusakabe frowned as there was a knock on the Discipline Committee office door. It was the middle of the school day, so who could it possibly be?

"Aoshima-san? Why are you here?"

The shorter Vice-Chairman nodded his greeting. "May I speak to your Iinchou, please?"

Hibari raised an eyebrow from his desk, behind Kusakabe.

Aoshima approached him in graceful strides, stopping just before the edge of his desk. "You broke Suzume-iinchou's arm?"

The raven-head shrugged. "Hn."

"The Detention Committee is going to riot when they hear."

Hibari turned his head on an angle and looked at Aoshima.

"I have no doubt that you cannot take them on, but I thought it might be wise to warn you that we have access to a lot of resources…"

Hibari sighed and closed his eyes, resting his feet on the table, evidently not about to start caring anytime soon. Aoshima shrugged and walked back out of the office, Kusakabe closing the door after him and turning to look at his Iinchou worriedly.

"Kyo-san…"

"Hm?"

"The Detention Committee isn't to be taken lightly…"

Silence.

"Their senior members are some of the most feared students of the school."

A raised eyebrow.

"Apart from you of course… and Rokudo… Gokudera… Suzuki… You know what I'm trying to say!"

Hibari sighed and got out of his chair, walking over to his Vice-Chairman.

"You doubt my ability?"

"Of course not."

"You doubt my strength?"

"No. Only a fool would do that."

"You doubt my caution?"

"There's a reason you've been running the Committee so long."

"Then…"

Kusakabe waited patiently for the finale.

"…Shut up and stop acting like a crossdressing hormonal mother."

* * *

"Mhm, that's a hairline fracture right there, Yukimura-kun," the nurse said as she hung up the x-ray.

Sitting on the hospital bed in the emergency department was Yukimura Suzume, as Shamal now knew she was named, with the hitman doctor himself sitting next to her.

"Alright, Shamal-sensei, since you are here, would you mind putting a splint on Yukimura-kun's arm? The other doctors are a bit busy at the moment, and as a school doctor you should know how to."

"Ah, yes, that'll be fine. Where will I find the materials?"

"I'll bring them to you, just wait a moment please," the nurse said pleasantly as she walked out of the room.

Shamal looked over to Yukimura looking at the x-ray curiously. "So, what did you do to aggravate Hibari? Was it your hair?"

"Hm? Ah, no. I suggested to the Kaichou that Hibari-san might need lessons in communication when he almost framed my Committee for student abuse. I think he's a little annoyed at me for that."

"A little… that's one way to put it," Shamal chuckled. "What committee are you a member of?"

"The Detention Committee."

There was a silence as Shamal absorbed this information.

"Ah, the one that Shou was in charge of last year? I heard his little sister took over. Is she a good Chairman?"

Yukimura looked at him weirdly. "Shamal-sensei, do you remember Shou's surname?"

He frowned. "Not really… he was a friendly boy, everyone called him Shou, even the faculty. I even agreed to treat him once or twice. Why?"

"Yukimura. Yukimura Shou is my older brother."

Blink.

"Oh. _Oh…_"

Another silence.

A thought suddenly struck him. "Wait… Yukimura… you're not related to Yukimura Shinichi, are you?"

The Chairman blinked. "He founded the Namigaku Detention Committee. He's my eldest brother."

Shamal visibly paled. "Wa-wait… Doesn't that mean that you and Shou are also- you're Yukimura Seiji's… _daughter_? His voice tightened to a squeak.

"Yes. Why?"

The man's eyes bulged. _Yukimura Seiji._ He had been trying to pick up _Yukimura Seiji's daughter._

The nurse returned with the splint materials, and frowned worriedly when Shamal raced out of the room, excusing himself.

The nurse and Yukimura shared a confused glance. The former sighed.

"I guess I'll call Miyabi-sensei, then. I'm sure he can take a break between delivering the Hashikawa twins and the Juutaka girl."

* * *

Reborn frowned as his phone rang.

He looked over to the Moritaka boy to see him still ranting about the horrors of the Detention Centre, and figured he had enough time to take a call.

"Chaos… Shamal? What? Slow down, you're starting to sound like the boy I'm seeing right now…"

"_I'm taking the month off in Hawaii_," the doctor finally managed. "_Tell Tsunayoshi-kun. Oh, and look up Yukimura Suzume's file when you have some spare time. I assure you there'll be a nice surprise."_

"Shamal, what-" but all he got was the tone. He frowned.

Looking over to where the navy-haired student he was apparently counseling was rolled up in a ball on the couch, Reborn turned to his computer and opened up the student information system.

* * *

Yukimura sighed as she returned to school, just as the dismissing bell rang. She didn't bother reporting in to the reception and went straight to her beloved Detention Centre.

"Iinchou!"

Immediately upon her return, in her office, she saw all eighteen of her committee members standing around, rushing towards her as he entered. Dressed in their uniforms- which were long, black robes with overhanging cowls- the aura of fretting hens her Detention Wardens emitted was quite amusing.

Yukimura and Aoshima, being the faces of the Committee, were the only ones that didn't wear the gothic uniforms. But they were useful for striking fear into the hearts of priso- _students_, and keeping most of the committee's identities secret, so they could not be bribed or corrupted.

The Detention Committees definition of corruption was quite different from that of other people, but it was a still a pressing issue.

She couldn't have soft, pliable Wardens overseeing Namigaku detentions now, could she?

"Iinchou! Is your arm alright?"

"Does is hurt?"

"Do you want us to go… _detain_ the Discipline Chairman?"

"Everyone, calm down. It's a simple hairline fracture, and does not even need a cast. You are overreacting."

Aoshima nodded, from his place on the other side of the room. "Please do not cause any trouble. It would make your Suzume-iinchou sad."

The hooded Wardens turned reluctantly back to their Chairman to verify this statement. She nodded. "The Detention Committee has a reputation to uphold. Don't go doing anything silly now."

"_Hai, Suzume-iinchou,_" they chorused.

She smiled. "Now run along and start your detentions. We need to be out of here before six, remember, and the Cat Room needs setting up."

* * *

Chrome picked up the phone before it even rang the second time, as she knew that was the phone specifically used as a connection line for Tsuna's… _other_ responsibilities. She handed it straight to her Boss.

"Reborn? What is it?... Yukimura-san, what about her?"

"_I've found you a valuable person._"

The brunet stiffened. "No. Not again, Reborn. I've told you that I'm not involving civilians ever again."

"_She's technically not that innocent…"_

As the words that followed were processed by Tsuna's overworked brain, his eyes widened.

"_USO!_ That can't be right!"

"_Like it or not, Tsuna. It's the truth. Think about it, and we'll talk at home._"

Tsuna sighed as Reborn hung up, Chrome taking the phone from him. "Is something wrong, Boss?"

"Uh… nothing you should worry about."

"Yo, Tsuna!" Yamamoto smiled as he walked in, probably on the way to the fields from doing work somewhere else in the school. "You'll never believe what happened today! Kyouya and Yukimura-san fell from the sky!"

Tsuna stared. "They did what?"

"Heh, maybe not exactly the sky. They fell from the safety fence. I think they were fighting."

"_Fighting_? Is Yukimura-san okay?"

Chrome spoke up. "I got a message from Aoshima-san earlier today saying that Yukimura-san left school to go to the hospital. She just got back."

"_Hospital?_" His mind raced. For one thing, the fact that she had survived the fight only proved Reborn's words to be true, but for another, this incident would no doubt cause a rift between the Disclipline and Detention Committees. And by the nature of both, things would _not _go well if the matter was left alone.

"Call Kusakabe-san. We need to make an apology to Yukimura-san and her committee before they retaliate."

"Good idea, Tsunayoshi-kun," Mukuro's smooth voice said as he walked in, probably having heard the commotion from his desk in the Social Chairperson's office. "According to records, the last time the Discipline and Detention committees fought was when the Detention committee was still relatively new, and the war tore down the old high school building."

"EHHH?"

"Why do you think it's so new compared to the middle school and primary school buildings? Because it was rebuilt from the ground up ten years ago."

"…HIIIEEE! WE DON'T HAVE THE FUNDING FOR A NEW BUILDING! Takeshi, get Kusakabe-san _and_ Kyouya-san _now!_ Chrome, order a bouquet of… of…" Tsuna bunched his hands into fists in his hair with frustration, unable to complete his thought.

"GAH! Call Byakuran and ask him what kind of flowers express apology, and buy a bouquet of that! Hayato-kun! Please write an apology letter from the Council!" Tsuna was pacing the room giving off the air of a chicken about to get his head chopped off.

He usually wasn't so agitated over something as simple as social affairs, but seeing that he was made the Council members work twice as fast.

Tsuna finally sat down after many minutes of pacing and heaved a sigh as Mukuro walked over and pat his head sympathetically.

Sawada Tsunayoshi was not taking any chances. Especially now that he knew just who Yukimura Suzume _was_.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Lunakatsuma, I have decided that I officially love you. Your reviews always make me feel all fuzzy inside. And phppsmss- you flatter me, really. **

**If you all can't tell, I've invented a new form of fangirling for reviews. The fact I now can click on a page 2 of reviews made my face go red and my heart flutter.**

**Well, reader-samas, onwards with the story. If it is not up to your expectations, please feel free to send me virtual tomatoes and face slaps.**

* * *

Tsuna slowed his breathing, straightening his tie. To his right Gokudera held the embossed envelope, and to his left Mukuro happily held a bouquet of yellow roses. He closed his eyes and relaxed. Everything would be fine. What could possibly go wrong? Hibari, true to form, had refused to attend, but the calm, collected Kusakabe was there right behind him. He could do this.

Tsuna peered apprehensively down the spiralling stairwell that lead down to the Detention Centre, and sighed. Might as well get it over with.

It was nearing six o' clock, so most people would have been released from their detentions by now. Or were being released, as Tsuna found out, happening to pass a black-cloaked figure leading a shivering chain of students up to the outside. The Warden bowed briefly to Tsuna before carrying on, without a word, footsteps muffled by well-worn black boots.

After the group had passed, Tsuna allowed himself a shudder. The Namigaku Detention Wardens reminded him far too much of a particular group of much bloodier, fearsome prison wardens for comfort. The soft ringing of chains as the students were hurried along above them didn't help his disquiet either.

"You okay there, Jyuudaime?"

"Mn. Let's just get to her office quickly and deliver these."

They entered the hallway and were met with complete silence. Edging along and reading the label of each door, Tsuna wondered how Hibari had possibly survived being down there alone. Even with company, Tsuna could feel the insistent shivers down his spine.

Even Mukuro looked spooked. He was unusually quiet, eyes darting left and right. But when Tsuna gave him a glance, he grinned back with his overly-cheerful grin and said "This setting brings back nostalgic memories."

The brunet _really_ didn't want to know.

They finally found the door labeled 'CHAIRMAN'S OFFICE', and knocked.

"_Come in_," came the muffled reply from inside.

Gokudera opened the door and was met with soft strains of Chopin's Nocturne in C-sharp minor, in the middle of a trill.

Yukimura looked at them with mild surprise. "Sawada-kaichou. What brings you here?"

The music from the upright piano in the corner abruptly stopped. Aoshima slid around on the piano bench to face them, obviously annoyed.

Tsuna bit his lip slightly, but continued on with confidence. They were doing the right thing, after all.

"Yukimura-san, on behalf of the Student Council, we are here to apologize for Hibari-san's behavior earlier today resulting in your injury," he nodded to her wrapped-up arm; Student Council jacket undone, simply set around her shoulders, thanks to the splint. "We offer you a formal letter of apology and a bouquet expressing our deepest regrets."

Gokudera set the letter before the Chairman, the flowers taken off Mukuro's hands by Aoshima. He peered at the soft green leaves surrounding the flowers with narrowed eyes. "Is that basil?"

Tsuna blinked. "Ah- yes…"

Wait.

Aoshima didn't look happy.

Tsuna sweat a little.

Had Byakuran screwed them over?

"If I am not mistaken, Suzume-iinchou," Aoshima said slowly, glaring at the bouquet. "This combination of yellow roses and basil represents 'intense hate'."

Pin-drop silence.

Gokudera watched as Tsuna's face went a horrified shade of blue.

Damn it, he was going to skin that marshmallow freak alive.

The sound of Yukimura's soft laugh pierced the silence. All eyes snapped over to her.

"I am sure that is a misinterpretation, Aoshima. Yellow roses are universal for apology, sympathy and platonic love, and in that context basil can mean well-wishing to the receiver. That is the meaning you intended, is it not, Sawada-kaichou?"

"Ah- yes! Absolutely!" Relief flooded him.

Gokudera abandoned his mental plotting of one-hundred ways to kill Byakuran.

Kusakabe cleared his throat. "Kyo-san also sends his regrets," he started.

Tsuna sweat-dropped. He wondered how long Kusakabe had had to pester the head prefect before he gave in.

"He said, and I quote, 'Don't do anything stupid, and heal up quickly. I anticipate our next meeting, woman.'"

Silence.

Tsuna fell to the ground face-first.

"Jyuudaime!"

"Sawada-kaichou?"

"Tsunayoshi? Are you alright?"

Tsuna groaned into the carpet. "After all this- _and he plans to do it_ _again_?"

* * *

Colonello whistled merrily as he set up the gym for the gymnastics examination that was to take place that morning. Rifle swung around on his back, he was stacking the vault box when a figure in a gold-striped gakuran crashed through the glass sliding door.

Hibari Kyouya dusted himself off and strode menacingly back out, tonfas raised. One was stolen by a flash of brown leather, and the head prefect growled and charged.

Colonello blinked as he watched Dino Cavallone and Hibari Kyouya fighting off into the distance. Luckily there weren't any students around yet, and so the only casualties were occasional bushes and windows.

The blond instructor sighed and dug his pockets for the darned mobile phone issued to him by Reborn to keep in contact while he was in Namimori, watching Tsuna for the CEDEF.

One day he had just had to have pissed off his dear Lal that _little bit_ too much, and _bam, _he was deployed to monitor the chaotic antics of the Vongola's Tenth Generation.

And what a generation it was.

"Ah, Kozato? You're not going to like this…"

* * *

"Kyouya-san, Dino-san, _what did you do to my school_?" Tsuna wailed.

The two were standing in the middle of the Student Council President's office, Dino in particular looking rather ashamed, looking down at the carpet with pink cheeks, whip held behind him in both hands. Leaves were sticking up every which way in the blonde's hair, his jacket torn.

Hibari would have looked indifferent if he were not desperately avoiding Tsuna's sad puppy eyes, jaw clenched. There was a tear in his school uniform's shirt, his dirtied gold-striped gakuran having been taken away by Chrome to launder. His tonfas were tucked on either side of his hips, into his belt.

"What- _where _am I going to get the money to fix all this?" Tsuna wailed again, hands in his hair as he stared at the list Gokudera had produced for him. "This is over fifty-thousand yen we're talking about here! The budget is tight enough as it is; we're a twelve-grade Academy!"

Gokudera himself was crunching numbers at his desk, hair up and glasses on as usual. "Well, if we cut down on the Middle School Division's… wait, they need those. Uh, well, the Art Committee's- wait, that's the festival budget that we've cut twice already… Argh! I don't know anymore, Jyuudaime!" the silver-headed bomber yelled in frustration, flopping back into his chair.

Tsuna bit his lip, and stared at Dino, as Hibari had made his escape while Gokudera had had his episode. "Well, Dino-san? Any suggestions?"

Dino turned to his right-hand lurking in the background. "Anything, Romario?"

The elder man cleared his throat. "Well, the way I see it, Boss and Hibari were the ones to create the mess, and so they should take care of the aftermaths. And so, if you don't object, Boss, I think the Chiavarone Famiglia will offer to pay for half of the damages."

"Excellent idea, Romario!"

"You're a lifesaver, Dino-san!" Tsuna exclaimed from his prone position on his desk, chin on his papers, arms stretched out. "But what about the other half?"

Romario looked to Dino, who nodded. "Well, as Hibari was the other half of the cause, he should also take responsibility. I suggest- dare I say it- cutting the budget of the Discipline Committee."

Tsuna's eyes widened and Gokudera's glasses slipped off.

"B-But that's never been done before! The Discipline Committee's a Namigaku veteran committee, and they've always had one of the highest budgets… not that they really do much with it, but it's the principle of the thing!"

Gokudera poked at his calculator furiously in the background. "Well, if the Chiavarone pay half, and we take what's left of the Discipline Committee's budget this year after their yearly gakuran purchase for new members, then that leaves seventeen thousand yen, which we can ask the Environmental Committee to cover."

Well it would be more like _begging_ for the Environmental Committee to cover it, with Adelheid around, but with Enma's sweet nature and the duty of the Environmental Committee to keep Namigaku looking pristine, then perhaps they might just pull this off. There was only one problem…

"H-How do you think Kyouya-san is going to take having his entire budget for the rest of the year taken away?"

Dino laughed. "He's going to go on a rampage." Tsuna marveled at how the man could say something so horrifying so casually.

"But we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. How are you, little bro? I was trying to come visit you today but Kyouya attacked me out of the blue…"

* * *

The Social Chairperson, Sasagawa Kyoko, had no idea how Chrome did it.

With a phone at each ear and a third ringing that she had to throw to Haru, she was greatly relieved when Mukuro took the one at her left ear off her hands as well.

Preparing for a parent day in a twelve-grade academy was no joke. Especially with the early primary-school parents and the parents of high school students who had enrolled into Namigaku only that year for their first year of non-compulsory education, there were all sorts of things to organize to make sure they got a good impression of Namigaku.

Greeters, tour guides, food, selecting teachers for them to talk to, choosing clubs to showcase, arranging a time and place for the parents to meet the principal, and most importantly, carefully planning out their meeting of the Student Office and the Council as a whole.

"No, Yamada-san, we will stand firm on our decision not to showcase the Alien Languages club to the parents," Mukuro said smoothly, leaning on his desk. "Face it, my dear kouhai, there is little to no hope of your club ever taking off… we simply cannot pass off four middle-school students babbling like baby apes as a legitimate Namigaku club…"

"...So what part of the school are you most confident with? ...Ah, we have a lot of people who want to do the sports fields, are you able to tour the arts building? …Hahi! Arts are _not_ stupid! Please be more polite if you want to be a tour guide!..."

"Hashikawa-san, of course it's fine for a father to show up on parent's day! We have lots of fathers who come every year! It just shows us the lovely devotion you have to your child! And congratulations to you and your wife for the twins! It must be such a blessing...!"

Mukuro was the first to hang up, and swirled his tongue around his mouth. "I don't understand how anyone can possibly talk day in, day out and not die of thirst." He glanced over at Haru arguing heatedly with her caller, and Kyoko positively emitting sunbeams as she chatted senselessly with hers.

Chrome passed by the open door as she ended one call and immediately started another, and Mukuro decided that women were definitely not to be underestimated.

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'VE TAKEN OUR BUDGET?"

Kusakabe could almost _hear_ Chrome wincing on the other end of the line, and immediately felt guilty. "I'm sorry for yelling at you, Chrome-san, but why exactly have we had our resources cut off so abruptly?"

"_From what I hear, Hibari-san had a fight in school this morning, and we, the Council Office, had trouble scraping up enough money to fix all the damages to the academy. I'm really sorry Kusakabe-san, but it really is quite an impressive bill…_"

The vice-chairman sighed and nodded as he voiced his understanding and ended the call.

And just in time too, as his dear Chairman himself wandered in.

They stared at each other before Kusakabe sighed.

"Was the Detention Committee not enough? Must you antagonize everyone in the Student Council before we graduate?"

Hibari narrowed his eyes. "…What happened?"

"Budget. Gone poof." Kusakabe said, irritation rising as Hibari stood there and blinked at him.

"…They cut our budget?"

"Not just _cut_. They took it away completely."

A twitch.

With a flutter of a freshly fabric-softened gakuran, the Disciplinarian Chairman was out the door again.

Kusakabe sighed.

"What is this sudden urge I have to smack him with a feather duster?"

* * *

When Hibari arrived at Tsuna's office, the Detention Chairman was also there. She seemed to be chatting to Gokudera about the correlations between grades and amounts of detentions within the student body.

"…Well, anyone with half a brain knows not to chew gum around Suzuki-san… Hibari-san?"

But the other Chairman took no notice of her and strode straight up to Tsuna.

"Herbivore. Explain."

"W-Well, Kyouya-san, there were a lot of damages caused to the school this morning, and we don't have any other way…"

The tension was palpable as Hibari stared Tsuna in his wide, frightened eyes, neither moving an inch, to Tsuna's credit.

Yukimura bit her lips in amusement as she watched Hibari become growingly frustrated at his own inability to lay a finger on the innocent Student Council President. It looked like he was about to lose his temper and destroy more of the school again, and so she stood.

She had just _had_ to be at the wrong place at the wrong time. Curse her boredom now that her injured arm prevented her from running most of her favorite detentions.

"Hibari-san. You have been issued a Namigaku detention for damages caused to the campus. Your sentence starts immediately." With resignation, Yukimura quickly smacked her fellow Chairman in the face with her braid, sending the off-guard disciplinarian back a few steps, angry red mark on his left cheek.

All she was thinking, as she ran for her life out the door of the Student Council President's office with a bloodthirsty Hibari Kyouya on her heels, was that she needed to find a way to pass her spare time that didn't involve hanging around the trouble magnet known as Sawada Tsunayoshi.

* * *

Colonello was leaning against the fence of the rooftop, watching with amused eyes as two particular Student Council chairmen sparred in the baseball field, mentally noting that they were lucky there weren't any high school PE lessons that afternoon.

The rooftop door creaked as one Reborn stepped through, holding a manila file.

"Oh no, not the manila file. I hate those things. They always mean more work."

Reborn handed it to him wordlessly and leaned against the fence beside his fellow ex-Arcobaleno, watching as Yukimura narrowly dodged a tonfa snap at her head. He absently noted that Hibari had improved his grip and the speed of his wrist-snaps. Well that was quick.

"Isn't this that girl down there?..." Some silence passed.

"Woah."

"My sentiments exactly."

"An Italian restaurant? Yukimura Seiji, _the_ Yukimura Seiji, has become a pasta-loving fool with a daughter complex?"

"Right here in Namimori," Reborn answered.

"You're kidding."

Reborn gave the blond the _look_.

"Right. You don't kid. Geez, wait until the CEDEF hear this. Iemitsu'll freak."

"I'd prefer if this information doesn't yet reach your organization."

"…Reborn, are you asking me to withhold information from the Second Vongola?"

"…No, I'm asking you not to mention this carelessly to Lal on one of your lovey-dovey nightly calls."

"How-"

"_Colonello_," the dark-haired man enunciated. "Yukimura Suzume is of interest to the Vongola Tenth Generation. Do not interfere. I am only informing you so that you may assist."

The rifle-toting gym teacher harrumphed. "Fine. But you'll be taking responsibility when Lal finds out."

Reborn smirked. "No, _you'll_ be. You always have, always do, and always will."

Colonello groaned and rested his head on the fence with a musical thud.

* * *

"…What did you do now?"

Hibari shrugged, but then did a double-take.

"Kusakabe Tetsuya."

"What is it?"

"It that… a feather duster?"

Kusakabe stood and pointed said feather duster at his chairman. "Don't change the subject. Who's hurt this time?"

Hibari seemed almost annoyed to reply "No one."

"…How? I head your tonfas ringing from here."

With an almost childish pout, Hibari replied with "She ran away."

* * *

"Iinchou! Are you alright?"

Yukimura nodded as she continued down the hall. "Relax, he didn't manage to land a single blow. Get back to feeding the Cat Room."

Various Wardens asked her of her health as she made her way to her office, having heard her yelling earlier above their heads, out on the school grounds. To all she replied the same.

She shut her office door with a sigh and sat in her chair.

Aoshima already had the first-aid kit laid out, and after a glance at her, gently took off her Student Council blazer and lifted her left sleeve. Red and purple bruises were splattered all over her slim arm.

"It's not good to lie to them, you know."

"What am I supposed to do? Send them on a bloody rampage against the Discipline Committee? This was of my own volition, anyhow."

Aoshima blinked as he gently lifted the back of her shirt to reveal more bruising and scratching at her lower back, some shaped like Yukimura's own hair ornament. So he had figured out how to fight her so quickly, huh?

"Anyway, how many do we have after school? If it's less than fifty I'd like to avoid using the Bamboo Room today."

"Why?"

Yukimura smiled. "I want to play in there today. There's something I want to try. Will you accompany me, Aoshima?"

He made her wince as he slapped on a large adhesive bandage. "What do you think?"

She nodded with a small grin. "I am so glad that your mother felt like Italian that one fateful day."

"Is that your way of saying you'd miss me if I were shot?" he replied.

"I wouldn't have time to miss you. I'd be too busy having fun with whoever shot you."

Aoshima finished patching his chairman up and packed away the first-aid kit. And then they started sorting through the list of students in for detention that day, deciding which room to use for each group.

* * *

Tsuna was sipping his coffee, sighing. At this rate he would have grey hairs before he graduated.

"Hayato-kun, what else is there to do today?"

Gokudera frowned and shuffled through his papers. "Nothing we can't get done tomorrow, if you're tired."

"I am, actually, but if there is work to be done then it must be done. I'll just rest my eyes a little bit and get started on it in a minute…"

Five minutes later, Chrome and Gokudera were given the privilege of listening to the boss sleep, breathing steadily in and out, leaned over his table.

"Poor Boss," Chrome said as she reached into the office's cupboard and pulled out an orange polar fleece blanket, draping it lovingly over Tsuna. "That's the third time this term."

"He must be so overworked," Gokudera said with a pained expression on his face. "I wish I could do more."

"You're already doing three times as much as you should be, Gokudera-san. There's no doubt Boss knows you're doing everything you can. And you've been trying so hard to not cause trouble for him. I'm sure he appreciates that best."

Gokudera nodded. "Well, better get back to axing budgets and sorting out the campus dumbasses. I swear they multiply overnight…"


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Eep. New readers and new reviewers and my beloved Lunakatsuma. I'm terribly sorry for the unexpected delay. Chapters usually take me about two nights to complete, but apparently I'm meant to be studying for exams with that time... whoops. **

**Ah well, I can survive failing a paper or two. I apologise deeply. Both for the delay and for this chapter. Gomennasai, reader-samas.**

* * *

"You people are just _not photogenic!_" Mukuro screeched, rather out of character, as he stomped into the boardroom one fine morning, slamming a pile of photos on the table, sending them skittering every which way. "I give up! The school will just have to be content knowing that behind closed doors, their Student Council is full of freaks." The pineapple-headed Historian sat down in his seat and gave off the aura of a dejected puppy.

Tsuna hesitantly took a look at a pile near him.

Oh, a picture of Yukimura and Hibari. Fighting. Covered in leaves and blood. Wonderful.

And then a picture of Yamamoto. Well, it was probably Yamamoto, because all one could really see was a blur of silver and Namigaku's highschool baseball team's uniform. Tsuna was pretty sure that Mukuro used a very high shutter-speed camera.

Following that was a picture of himself and Gokudera, in the office, looking like a hurricane was passing, Tsuna tripping through the doorway with papers suspended in the air, with Gokudera rushing to catch them.

After that was a relatively normal photo of Chrome, on three phones. In the foreground Shouichi and Gokudera were arguing with veins popping out on their foreheads, Shouichi waving about some piece of paper, presumably the Technology Committee budget, and Gokudera waving about a coffee mug.

Then was a perfectly normal picture of Kyoko and Haru posing together in their office, smiling. Oh- no, no wait. There was a tonfa flying through the window.

"_Every_ _single time_ I try to get a decent picture of you people, you mess it up!" Mukuro growled, hair uncharacteristically in a mess, obviously frazzled. "Let's get a picture of the school's disciplinarians, I said, but no, Suzuki runs off to tell off a student and your damn chairmen start fighting the moment I take the shot!" he gestured to Kusakabe and Aoshima.

"And then I said, oh well, surely the class officers will be more civil, but, you, Sasagawa and that Bovino brat can't stay still for a millisecond, and what do I get? A picture of you punching each other in the faces with _you_ levitating them while holding a giant book!" he gestured angrily to Ryohei, Lambo and Fuuta, who looked somewhat apologetic.

"And finally I said, surely our dear president himself can give us a proper photo, but I get a shot of him in the process of falling on his face instead! _And that's not even the start of it!_ I don't understand how you people are possibly able to ruin _fifty shots_ in _one week!_"

Rokudo Mukuro was obviously not having a good week. It was his policy if he ever did anything to do it _damn well_, and his position as the one in charge of the documentation of Namigaku's people and events was one that, as time passed, he grew fond of. Not only did it help him with training his constant awareness of his environment and his… well, bluntly put, stalking skills, but he also took a kind of secret pride in his and the Student Council's achievements. He took pride in taking down proof that he, Tsunayoshi, and all the current Council had existed and flourished.

Which is why everyone's favorite illusionist looked like he was about to strangle something at that moment.

"…And how many did you take in total, Mukuro?" Tsuna asked sheepishly, after a moment of silence.

The illusionist narrowed his eyes. "Fifty -five."

"Eheh…"

"Five photos, Tsunayoshi. I have _five_ somewhat passable photos that don't involve bodily harm, clumsiness, or waving of coffee mugs."

"We're… sorry?"

Mukuro continued his rant nonetheless. "One is of Kozato watering the gardens with Shitt. P. The second is of Yukimura walking with a student attached to her braid. The third is of myself, the only shot I _needed _to take of myself. The fourth is of my beautiful Chrome, talking into a cell phone with Yukimura and Hibari fighting far in the background. And the fifth is of you _sleeping_, Tsunayoshi."

"HIEE! WHAT?"

"Do you realize how sad it is to have to wait for you to be _unconscious_ to take a decent picture of you?"

"You can't publish that!"

Mukuro almost pouted. "Try me. I need photos of every single one of you by the end of the Friday to put in the glass case behind the reception desk."

"B-but it's Thursday already!"

"_MY POINT EXACTLY!"_

* * *

That night in Tsuna's bedroom, at his desk, face in a pile of paperwork, the boy groaned. "I'm screwed. Tomorrow's Parent Day. _And_ Mukuro still needs photos of us acting normally. _And_ all of this paperwork for the Middle School Division's new school trip is due at the end of the day tomorrow! What am I going to do, Reborn?"

The man growled from where he was sitting on Tsuna's bed and smacked his student in the back of his head with the Italian newspaper he was reading. "Suck it up. In a few years you'll be managing a Famiglia hundreds of times bigger than Namigaku, so the least you can do is get used to these little things."

"_Little things?_ I have parents to impress, Mukuro wants my head, both literally _and_ figuratively, and to finish this in time I'll have to write at a hundred kilometers an hour! How are those _little things?_"

"Compare those with impressing your allied dons, Mukuro wanting your head, and constructing entire businesses overnight."

"…Why didn't the one about Mukuro change?"

"Cause you're stuck with that one wherever you go, whether you like it or not."

A sweat-drop. "…I guess I am, huh?"

* * *

"Tsuna-chan! You can do it! Daddy's proud of you!"

The brunet buried his face in his hands. How had CEDEF _survived?_

His father's flight had arrived that morning, and when informed by Nana that it was Parent's Day, had insisted on taking her place and having a look at the wonderful work his son was doing with Namigaku.

Sawada Tsunayoshi was standing in front of his class at the board going through an equation sleepily, dressed in his Student Council blazer with his President's cloak fastened across his shoulders, the gold-trimmed black velvet being worn just for the conference he would have later with the parents.

And Sawada Iemitsu was cheering him with waving arms and a goofy smile.

The class stared at the blond man in disbelief. This man was talking to the renowned Student Council President of the famed Namimori Gakuen- like he was a preschooler.

The other parents murmured among themselves as well, most muttering about why Tsunayoshi's uniform was so much more extravagant than the simple black and grey uniforms their own sons and daughters wore.

The exception was Yamamoto Tsuyoshi, who had a glint of pride in his eyes, watching his Takeshi wearing the gold-striped blazer like a second skin. Of course he had seen it occasionally at home, but his son did his own laundry. It was only that day that Tsuyoshi saw just how esteemed the blazer was.

After Tsuna finished the equation and returned to his seat, the bell rang. The students sighed in relief and their parents went almost immediately to them, while Tsuna packed away his things and prepared to spend the afternoon with the parents.

"_That's_ your kaichou, Miyako? You never told me he was so short…"

"Isn't he a first year? Is it okay for him to be in charge?"

"I'm not sure, Ami-chan, dear. I'll have a talk with the principal, that boy is far too young to be given so much responsibility…"

Gokudera steamed where he stood, causing a few parents near him to abruptly silence.

Tsuna sighed and stood. "Dear parents, please enjoy the lunch break with your children. The conference with the Student Council will begin straight after; in the same hall you had the conference with the staff." He looked around at the disapproving looks at his air of authority.

"We understand that some of you may not wish to attend, and that is your own choice. But remember that it would be rather rude," he added, as he started walking out. "Please remember that we are just as capable, responsible and powerful as the faculty here in Namigaku. Respect where respect is due."

Leaving the parents in a stunned silence, Tsuna, Yamamoto and Gokudera walked out, Tsuna's cloak the last thing they saw before the door shut.

Once outside, the President buried his face in Yamamoto's shoulder. "I swear that was the scariest thing I've ever had to do."

"That was completely and utterly badass, Jyuudaime! You were great!"

Tsuna sighed as they started walking towards the faculty/Student Council's floor to retrieve materials for the conference. "If that's what it's like dealing with normal people, I don't think I'll survive dealing with whole Famiglias involved."

"Suzu, as I expected, your Detention Centre was beautiful. Shin would be proud."

"Stop it, you flatter me."

Around the corner came Yukimura and a tall, young-looking man with wild black hair. He had startlingly yellow eyes and tanned skin, with long, dexterous-looking fingers peeking out from under the sleeves of a neat brown suit.

"Ah- Yukimura-san! Is this your uncle?"

"Ah, no-"

"Brother then," Yamamoto assumed with a friendly smile and a nod.

"No-"

"Cousin?" Gokudera offered.

"My _father_."

Silence.

"Oh. Sorry about that."

He looked so _young, _though!

Gokudera frowned. "Wait a minute. Don't you have two older brothers? One that founded the Detention Committee?"

"Yes… why?"

The trio peered at Yukimura's father. "But… that means that unless he's your stepfather or something, he's got to be at least forty-five years old!"

"Wow! He doesn't look a day over twenty-five!" Yamamoto laughed.

"You are too kind, children. This year I turn fifty-seven."

Silence.

"EEEHHHH!"

"You're kidding, right?"

"Ahah, you could pass off for a teenager!"

"Fifty-_seven_? That's ridiculous!"

The apparent senior chuckled, and for an unsettling moment Tsuna was reminded of Byakuran. "I've preserved my looks well, ne? Maybe I'll tell you my secrets sometime."

* * *

Shamal, having recovered substantially in sun-kissed Hawaii, was back and ready for work. He turned the corner and saw Tsunayoshi and his friends conversing with Yukimura and a man in a brown suit.

Well, it was a good a time as any to announce his return, so he strode straight up to them and smiled.

"Well, Tsunayoshi, I'm back and ready for action! Who's this handsome young man here, Yukimura-san?" He asked conversationally, careful to keep the honorific, holding out his hand to shake the brown-suited man's.

"Pervert Shamal!" the man chuckled. "To think I'd see you here."

The brown-suited man looked up from under his hair to reveal awfully familiar yellow eyes.

There was a thump as the school doctor hit the floor, out cold.

* * *

"So, Miyako, this is the Akiyama-kun and Ichinose-chan I've heard so much about?"

The navy-haired girl blushed and nodded pigtails bouncing on either side of her head. The tall brunet boy next to her laughed. "Ashamed of us, Miya?"

"What? No!"

Ichinose narrowed her eyes playfully; bright orange curls swept over one shoulder in her ponytail. "You better not be, Yuutaka Miyako. After all, we have a _lot_ of embarrassing stories about you…"

"Kyaa! Saya! You wouldn't dare!"

"Or would she?" the boy taunted with a grin.

"_Mitsu_! Not you too!" poor Miyako whined.

Miyako's mother giggled softly. It seemed that her daughter had made lovely friends. As Miyako's only close friend had transferred away at the end of middle school, Yuutaka had been worried that her daughter might be alone in high school. It seemed that was not the case at all- these friends of hers seemed adorably close with each other.

Suddenly, there was a crash outside, and Miyako's mother got up and peered out the door along with other concerned parents.

"Ah- kaa-san, it's better if you don't-"

"_For tarnishing the school's reputation with your foul mouth, I will bite you to death._"

Miyako and her friends pulled the parents out of the way before Hibari could explode throught the doorway, a terrified-looking boy scrambling away from him in earnest.

Hibari picked the boy up with a toe, and flung him back out into the hallway.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" One horrified father yelled.

"Hn. I am sorry you had to witness my disciplining of our students, but it is necessary."

Miyako's eyes widened. That was the longest sentence she had ever heard the head prefect utter.

"For _what_? What did that boy do?"

"…He described one of my fellow chairmen as a mentally unstable mythical creature in need of underground incarceration to a parent. Such badmouthing of a Chairman is not tolerated in Namigaku."

The persecuted boy had tried to take the opportunity to escape, but was stopped by a tonfa flicked into his face, sending him flying into the opposite wall of the hallway.

The prefect turned back to the stunned parents, bid "Good day," and closed the door.

"That is _it_, Ami-chan. I'm getting you transferred."

* * *

"Che. Stupid perverted doctor falling on Jyuudaime like that. If he didn't tell me to take care of you I would have smacked you into next week by now."

Shamal groaned as he sat up on the couch in his own office. "Good morning to you too, Hayato."

"You know that because of you, Jyuudaime's now facing those things called _student_ _parents_ right now _alone_!"

"He's not alone; he has the rest of the Council, doesn't he? And he's done these conferences before."

"I'm his right-hand man and Vice President, damn it!"

"You're also the Treasurer and Academic Committee Chairman," Shamal observed noncommittally.

"E-_xactly_!" Gokudera fumed.

At this moment Mukuro appeared from behind the doorframe and said "Smile!"

And Gokudera flashed a ladykiller grin at the camera before continuing to argue with Shamal.

Mukuro lowered his camera slowly. It. Had. _Worked._

"IT WORKED!"

Gokudera seemed to register Mukuro's presence for he first time. "What worked, ero-pineapple?"

"I thought about this last night! If I can't get good photos when _trying _to get good photos, then the opposite must be true! I'm a genius!" the eccentric illusionist ran off cackling with glee.

"That… was… strange…" Shamal said.

The bomber nodded. "Even for him…"

* * *

"Yukimura Seiji. A chef. Now I've heard everything."

"You always say that, Reborn, and yet you'll always hear something even crazier afterwards."

"Only around _you._ _You_ are the only person I've had to use that phrase around. Not even my dame-student has ever been worthy of those words."

Yukimura Seiji chuckled, hands in his pockets, the back of his brown suit flapping in the wind blowing across the school roof. "It's nice to see you back to normal, buddy."

Reborn scowled. "I'm not your 'buddy'. Actually, if I remember correctly, the last time I saw you in this form we were trying to kill each other."

Seiji leaned on the fence with a soft smile, wind whipping his hair about in a dramatic fashion. "Fond memories," he nodded. "But I'm afraid I've gone from bullets to pasta since then."

The taller man growled, stepping towards Seiji, putting a fist in the man's shirt. "One of the only men on Earth that I can't touch, and he's a freakin' _pasta chef_ in _Namimori_."

"What, afraid I'll dampen your reputation, my dear Reborn?"

Letting out a rare scream of frustration, he let go, walked away, and promptly turned around to fire a shot at Seiji's feet.

As he expected, as had been usual since he had first met Yukimura Seiji, Reborn could barely see his foot shift a millimeter to dodge. He gritted his teeth.

A man of _this caliber_, cooking pasta for small town Japanese civilians.

"I need a coffee," the hitman muttered.

"Where're the faculty kitchens? You still like espresso, I presume?"

And it was at sentence that the great Reborn snapped, turned around, and lunged at the pasta chef.

* * *

Mukuro was gleefully hopping- ahem, striding gracefully down the hallways, snapping pictures at the most inopportune moments and managing to get a perfect shot each time. Oh, he wasn't just happy. He was positively giddy.

By the time he had developed all his pictures and sent them to the reception, it was the end of the school day. He had even made his deadline!

So as soon as his job was done, Mukuro made his way up to the Student Council Office, put down his camera, shed his blazer, and fell onto a couch in a deep sleep.

Though it had gotten the job done, being that out of character was _exhausting_.

* * *

"You're-"

A punch connected with the fence.

"A-"

A kick that narrowly missed breaking a brown-clad shinbone.

"Freaking-"

A shot that was nanometers from giving a haircut.

"_PASTA CHEF!_"

Seiji only barely avoided major harm to himself, though his suit was sliced to pieces.

"How can I take _anything _seriously anymore? How can I take _myself_ seriously anymore?"

"I thought you had learnt that lesson while in Arcobaleno-"

"THE ONE MAN THAT CAUSED ME TO FAIL A MISSION IS A PASTA CHEF! MY LIFE IS A JOKE!"

"Saa, Reborn, calm down…"

Both had long lost their suit jackets, and Reborn's hat was pinned to the wall with a metal toothpick.

Reborn had both his guns brandished, one being Leon, the other his favorite handgun. Seiji seemed to be doing fine with his wedding ring and car keys.

It was just the moment when Reborn lunged for the shorter man again when the door slammed open, half the Student Council pouring out onto the roof.

"Re-REBORN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Tsuna panicked.

"…Father. You couldn't resist, could you?" Yukimura deadpanned.

"Hey Suzu-chan! Mind giving your tou-san a hand?"

Yukimura's eye twitched. "You only talk cute when you're in danger. If you were stupid enough to provoke Reborn-sensei to that extent, you're on your own."

"Mou, Suzu-chan is so mean!" Seiji whined as he dodged an oncoming onslaught of bullets from the school counselor.

The vein throbbing in his daughter's forehead got bigger. "You're a fifty-seven year-old man. Start acting like it."

Hibari watched on with interest as Yukimura's father sparred with the carnivorous counselor, seemingly effortlessly and habitually dodging his attacks, barely ever even needing to lay a hand on the taller man. He was intending to stop the fight, but it intrigued him too much.

If the woman's father was that competent, did that mean she was hiding ability?

"Woman. Fight me. Now."

"Mou, Hibari-san! This is one of the only times I've ever been able to watch my father get creamed! Don't you want to watch him get his ass handed to him as well?"

"…I'll give you a three second head start."

Tsuna watched in horror as Yukimura sighed and undid her sling, giving her bandaged arm a wider range of movement. "Five, and I won't climb anything this time."

"…Deal."


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Oh the reviews. I may faint from too much blood rushing to the face. Lunakatsuma, you're lovely as always, and RenegadeWarrior- that's what I was thinking from the first chapter. And in reply to Kanako Arichi-**

**Here's my excuse of a chapter. Remember virtual flamethrowers are free, reader-samas, if this pushes you in that direction. **

* * *

Yukimura leapt nimbly to the side as a tonfa buried itself in the fence, and she took this opportunity to aim a long kick at the back of Hibari's neck. He dodged and narrowed his eyes as he turned to face her.

"You've been brushing up on your martial combat."

"As have you on your mid-range."

He lunged again and they were locked in another rush of clanging metal and fluttering uniforms. As she made the mistake of facing him side-on, he was able to reach what he had learned to be her weak spot- right up behind her back.

She flicked her braid up behind her on her left, and he smirked. It would end the same way.

But the braid kept going, up, behind him, and was grasped by her right hand.

With a twist and a yank, Hibari was now the one with his back to Yukimura, throat caught neatly in her braid, which turned out to be a perfect garrote.

A slow clap started in the background, and it seemed Yukimura's father had managed to calm down Reborn and was watching his daughter's fight intently.

"That's enough, Suzume."

Before she could even shake her head, Hibari had flipped his tonfas around and rammed the long ends of both into her gut.

Gasping and doubling over, she released him and gained some distance, holding her stomach with her right hand and her braid with her left. Eyes clenched shut with pain, she didn't see Hibari rushing again.

By instinct alone, Yukimura turned to take on the blow with the back of her shoulder when she felt the breeze of an approaching tonfa. Her left arm went numb with the power of the strike.

Yukimura growled and grabbed onto the tonfa with her teeth. While Hibari was blinking in surprise, she ripped it out of his hand and threw it over her shoulder. In the same second she got the head prefect across the face with her braid, leaving a quickly reddening stripe on his lower cheek, across his nose, up and over his other cheekbone.

Seiji whistled in the background next to Reborn, both sitting on the ground, as he watched the two spar. "That boy is insistent."

"Sho-Should we stop them?" Tsuna asked worriedly.

Mukuro shrugged. "They're always like this, aren't they? I say leave them. Give _me_ a break for once."

"If you stop them, Hibari'll probably take it out on the school again," Reborn advised. "Best to let them play."

"P-_Play_? You call that _playing_?"

Seiji shrugged. "Saa. But it's fine. Suzume does still need to practice occasionally. She usually doesn't like to, so this is good."

"_Good?"_ Tsuna could feel a headache coming on. He half-heartedly dodged a shoe that flew his way, and sighed. "I have paperwork to do; Midori Boys' is offering a mutual club support system that we sorely need with the dying budgets. Tell those two to come see me when they're done."

"Ah, I'll come with you, Jyuudaime."

After Tsuna left, there was a bit of silence among Hibari and Yukimura's audience, the only sounds being those of their fight.

Mukuro huffed. "Now that I have to sit here and watch quietly, I feel somewhat left out."

"Ah," Seiji agreed.

* * *

When Tsuna finally got home, the first thing he did was faceplant in the couch with a weak "Tadaima."

Five.

Four.

Thre-

"TSUNA-CHAN!"

It seemed Iemitsu was even more excitable than predicted.

"Tsuna! Let's go drink sake and talk about manly things!"

"I'm underage, tou-san!" the brunet whined from the seat cushion.

"Come on! I haven't had Japanese food in so long! Let's go visit Tsuyoshi!"

"Mou, fine! At least let me get changed!"

As a peeved Tsuna trudged up the stairs, Iemitsu smiled fondly after him.

"Look at how broad your shoulders have become, Tsunayoshi…"

At Take-Sushi, Tsuna resignedly sat himself with a cup of tea, while his father loudly drank sake next to him.

"Yo, Tsuyoshi! Give us another round of medium-fat tuna!"

"Comin' up!"

"Tou-san… can't you order more subtly?"

"What's that point in that? This is fine, isn't it?"

It was raining outside, and so Takeshi was helping his old man Tsuyoshi in the kitchen instead of outside practicing either the sword or some baseball. The younger Yamamoto was mostly busy preparing rice and putting together simpler sushi, but occasionally he waved and smiled at Tsuna.

Tsuna looked over to his father as the medium-fat tuna arrived, eyes tired and annoyed. "So what is this 'manly stuff' you wanted to talk about?"

Iemitsu popped a piece of tuna on rice into his mouth before shrugging. "You know. How things are going for you. Example being, say, how being a Student Council President is treating you?"

Tsuna sighed. More pointless talk. "It's fine. I'm tired like hell every day and I'm not sure if I'll still have all my hair when I finally graduate, but it's fine."

"Really, now?"

"Aa," Tsuna replied, a small smile on his face as he leaned on his left fist, swirling his tea in his right. "Somehow, I don't think I'd be able to hand away the position anytime soon, you know? That feeling of people trusting you with their everyday lives… like I have the power to make other people happy and safe… it's… nice."

Iemitsu nodded, and had a fond look in his eyes which was completely sincere, despite being slightly buzzed by the sake. "I know what you mean."

At that moment, the door slid open to reveal two muddy Chairmen.

"So that's why they never showed up at the office… Kyouya-san, Yukimura-san, if you're going to come inside, please take off your shoes and jackets first." That mud would be a nightmare to clean up, and it would probably be Takeshi who would end up doing it as well.

"Hn."

"Hai, Sawada-kaichou."

Leaving their shoes by the entrance, blazer and gakuran folded up neatly on top of them, the two made their way to the bar and started meals of their own, two seats away from each other.

Back at their table, Iemitsu eyed Tsuna's Cloud Guardian and Yukimura Seiji's daughter with interest.

"So… your strongest Guardian found himself a girlfriend?" the blond then narrowly dodged a spurt of tea.

Tsuna coughed violently, pounding himself on his chest, causing Hibari, Yukimura, and both Yamamotos to look over with varying degrees of worry. He waved off their looks and turned back to Iemitsu.

"Are you trying to get us bitten to death? Be glad that he didn't hear that!"

"Well then what are they doing here together?"

Tsuna looked back over at the blatant two-seat space between them, and sweat-dropped. "I don't think they're here _together_ tou-san. They probably haven't finished sparring but got hungry or something, and Kyouya-san's keeping Yukimura-san with him so she can't run away." Actually, Tsuna was pretty sure that was exactly what was going on.

Iemitsu laughed and downed another cup of sake. "You and your Guardians never cease to amuse me, Tsuna!"

"Yukimura _Suzume_! I've been looking all over town for you!"

Tsuna blinked as someone with long, damp grey hair slammed open the door. For a moment he thought it was Squalo, and had the sinking feeling he always got whenever the Varia visited, but then realized that it was an unusually agitated Detention Vice-Chairman, hair undone.

"Aoshima?..."

The grey-haired man let his bag fall onto the floor and dug out a somehow-dry white blanket, throwing it over Yukimura in an efficient manner, wrapping it around her and patting her down, still in her seat at the restaurant's bar.

"Aoshima, you're soaking. How long have you been out there?"

"How long has it been since six o' clock?" her fukuiinchou replied brusquely, kneeling before her and almost ripping her shoes and socks off, drying her feet with another towel.

The restaurant wasn't very full, but it was full enough for a crowd to be staring at Aoshima and Yukimura.

"It's…. it's _seven-thirty!_ Don't tell me you've been- who am I kidding, of course you've been out there for an hour and a half."

It was evident in Aoshima's own soaked form, silver-striped blazer seen folded up, clean and dry in his bag, his white uniform shirt and silver hair soaked through, clinging to his slim torso and hips in a spider-webbing pattern. His black pants clung to equally slim legs, tapering down to muddy hems and absolutely ruined school shoes.

"Your mother would kill me she knew I took this long. Luckily Seiji-san seems to be in a good mood and took her out to dinner and a show tonight."

"…Of course he's in a good mood," she muttered. Images of multiple shattered coffee mugs in Reborn-sensei's office came to mind.

Tearing his eyes away from the spectacle, Tsuna sighed and drank his tea. Meanwhile, Iemitsu seemed thoughtful.

"Is it just me, or are _all_ silver-headed right-hand men obsessed with their bosses?"

* * *

"Rokudo Mukuro. Fight me."

"Wha- Where's Yukimura?"

An eye twitched. "Tending to her vice-president. Prepare yourself, Mukuro."

"Wait- GAH! JUST WHEN I FINALLY GREW ALL OF MY HAIR BACK!"

The clanging of metal was insistent throughout the day. The head prefect seemed to be in a bad mood, and the poor Historian, as usual, was his unfortunate victi- sparring partner.

Down below, in the Detention Centre, the Detention Wardens were unusually morose as well. With both their chairmen inconvenienced, taking care of detention-ditchers and even capturing them just wasn't as fun.

In the Chairman's Office, Yukimura lifted a tissue to Aoshima's face just as he sneezed, grimacing. "Sorry …"

She clicked her tongue and shook her head, throwing the tissue into the already-full bin, feeling his forehead again. Just as hot as it had been twenty minutes ago. "This is one of the times when your resistance to drugs isn't helpful, my friend."

Her Vice-Chairman was laid out on the couch next to the piano, covered in a rough brown blanket that Yukimura had in the storage closet for students who had been left for too long in the Water Room.

His face was flushed a deep shade of pink, hair sprawled across the armrest above his head, legs dangling off the other. His usually bright silver eyes were a hazy pale grey, mouth and nose being tucked under the blanket by Yukimura.

"Sorry," he muttered again, muffled by the blanket. "For causing you all this trouble."

"This wouldn't happen in the first place if you had just gone straight home after six yesterday."

"Not without confirming your safety first," he replied stubbornly. His intonation was unusually childish, probably to be blamed on the fever.

She sighed. "Then you could have at least stayed at home this morning. Your mother is going to hear of this," she said sternly.

"Your arm… if anything happened…"

"I can still fight Hibari like this, can't I? Face it, you're just being stubborn." She brushed a few bangs away from his forehead and bit the inside of her cheek. She strode to the door and randomly called on one of the nearby Wardens to go get an ice pack from the doctor's office before returning to his side.

He chuckled, causing her to look over at him. "This is so backwards."

"Shh. Just sleep. When you wake up, I'll still be here."

"Arigato, na… Suzume…"

She blinked. And then smiled.

"You're welcome, Kiyoshi."

* * *

Shamal went running at the mention of the Detention Committee. It just wasn't worth it.

The Warden sighed and opened the freezer, wrapping up a couple of ice packs in the towel he had brought and shutting it after him. On his way out he flipped the sign on the door to 'THE DOCTOR IS OUT', and made his way back to the Detention Centre.

All Wardens were trained to move silently. It was something that their Vice-Chairman especially was rather particular about, and they were often given lessons in graceful and stealthy movements in the weekends if there wasn't much going on. As a result, all eighteen Wardens were able to sneak up on almost any student in the school without fail, effortlessly capturing detention-ditchers and high offenders when necessary.

It was only in the Detention Centre itself that they were allowed to relax- but everywhere else it had become second nature to the Wardens, sometimes even when out of uniform, to move like the breeze.

Which was probably why one particular Historian managed to run into the Warden with the ice packs by accident while running away from Hibari.

Adrenaline pumping, Mukuro's eyes widened at the black robes and hidden face. He leapt away from the Warden and slammed the end of his trident into the poor Detention Committee member's face before running away, unable to hold in a scream.

Clutching his nose and groaning, the Warden sighed. Two people running away from him screaming within five minutes of each other. It just wasn't his day.

Pressing an ice pack to his own nose and glad that he had taken two, this weary Warden shuffled back to the comfort of the Detention Centre with the beginnings of a want for a holiday in mind.

* * *

"You-you attacked a Detention Warden."

"Yes," Mukuro replied, smooth as ever. "But in my defense, no one should be allowed to walk around dressed like that in Namigaku. It's against the dress code and may scar the younger children for life."

Tsuna sighed, resting his face on his desk. "Next thing I know, onii-san's going to end up punching Aoshima-san in the face and Hayato-kun'll blow up the Detention Centre or something. You remember who Yukimura-san's father is, don't you? _You remember what happened the last time the Detention Committee fought in this school, don't you?_"

"…It was an accident."

* * *

It was late at night, and a pair of Detention Wardens were making their way home. One had a bandage across his face. The other was snickering.

"Shut up, Sleet. _You_ try being on the receiving end of Rokudo Mukuro's trident." Though they knew each other's real names, when still in uniform, it became second nature to use their codenames. Just like the way they walked, the way they never angered, and the way they worked with practiced efficiency.

"It's just a shame, Hail. With that distinctive injury you won't be able to attend school for a while." To protect his identity. "And the School Festival is coming up, too."

"I'll be back in time for that," he muttered. "I do regret not being able to work, though. And just when Suzume-iinchou and Aoshima-fukuiinchou are out of commission as well." He turned to Sleet. "You'll have to work twice as hard."

"Of course, of course," Sleet replied, light tenor voice amused.

Out of nowhere, a wooden bowstaff stopped their path. Both Wardens narrowed their eyes.

"You're part of the Namigaku Detention Committee, aren't you?"

"Please step aside," Sleet said quietly.

"I'm afraid I can't do that." The attacker and his two companions stepped out into the open.

Hail let out a breath. "That uniform-"

"No time to talk, buddy! You're going down!"

Three minutes later, the two Wardens were standing in the middle of the road with three unconscious bodies, at a loss for what to do.

"Well this is certainly new. Someone catching us before we change out of uniform?..." Most Wardens changed into their normal school uniforms halfway home as a means of avoiding suspicion. For someone to be able to catch a pair of Wardens still in uniform…

"They have some incredible luck," Hail commented.

"Not quite incredible enough, if you ask me," Sleet replied, nudging one with a toe. "Let's call Suzume-iinchou. She'll want to know about this."

And it was at that moment that both their heads met the sharp cracks of metal baseball bats.

Or would have, had they not been trained by Aoshima himself.

Hail whistled at the bat wielder, said bat caught in a black-gloved hand. "Dear me. That's dangerous, you know."

Sleet twisted the other's arm with a flick of her wrist. "Who sent you?"

"Isn't it obvious?" One sneered, his hair falling into his face, black gakuran whipping in the breeze.

At his opponent's next words, Hail decided that he really needed that holiday.

* * *

Tsuna was _finally_ done with his paperwork, when his cell phone rang.

Glaring at the phone as though it had offended him, he picked it up. "Yes, Chrome?"

She spoke quickly.

"WHAT! YOU'RE KIDDING! That is _not good! _Keep Hibari as far away as possible until I get there!"

Tsuna snapped the phone shut and tumbled out of his chair, stumbling over to his closet, almost ripping off his pajamas in his haste.

Reborn walked in to Tsuna throwing away his shirt, in nothing but his boxers. He leaned against the doorframe with his coffee. "Well, this brings back memories."

"Reborn! Something's happened with Yukimura-san and her committee members! We need to get to the hospital!"

"Hospital?" His attention was thoroughly caught.

"Two of her members got jumped on the way home; I-I'm not sure of the details, but Yukimura-san is really, _really_ angry."

An eyebrow was raised. "She can get angry?"

"That's what I'm thinking! If she's usually so strong when she's calm, imagine what'll happen if she and Hibari-san fight when she's mad!"

"Is she the type to misdirect her anger?"

"No, Reborn- Gah, we need to go! I'll tell you on the way, just start the car!"

"So bossy," the man sniffed, heading downstairs to grab his keys anyway. It seemed Tsuna was serious.

On the road, the brunet still didn't calm down. He was muttering every other second about the fate of the school and an angry Yukimura-san.

"So? What is it that we need to leave for the hospital in the middle of the night?"

"It's… ah, how do I say this?"

"Spit it out," Reborn snapped, making a sharp turn. It had been a long time since he had seen Tsuna so agitated, and he didn't like it.

"The Detention Wardens… they- they were attacked by Disciplinary Prefects."

After a moment of silence, Reborn spoke.

"Oh, damn."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Oh dear. I may not survive the instensely increased heart rate from all the reviews. As always, thanks to the lovely Lunakatsuma for your following of this story from the publication of the first chapter, and a heart-palpitation-filled thanks to all the epic reviewers, readers, followers, and favorite...ers?... **

**This may not be up to your expectations- just a warning now. But otherwise, read on, please, reader-samas, only have the tomatoes at the ready.**

* * *

It was a fine Sunday morning, the one day of the week Sasagawa Ryohei didn't need to go to school. As a member of the Student Council, Saturdays were almost always used to do extra office work and managing the Academy, which was easier while the student interference was much smaller, with only those that had club activities or extra classes around.

Sundays were used for the faculty to complete _their_ extra work, and so to avoid clashing on use of resources and swamping the school office, the Student Council took Sundays off. The only people that would be at school on Sundays were teachers, anyway, and so the _Student_ Council being there would be kind of redundant.

Ryohei hummed merrily as he jogged briskly around town, whipping up dust off the ground as he went by. Well, that was _his_ version of 'brisk jogging', anyway.

As he rounded the corner to the street Take-Sushi was on, a pair of familiar-looking people burst out onto the street from the tame restaurant. Ryohei wisely slowed down and jogged on the spot to see what was going on.

"_Hibari Kyouya_. Prepare to serve your sentence."

Oh, it was just Hibari threatening people again. Well that was-

Wait. Why would Hibari be threatening himself?

Yukimura Suzume's features were calm, but her eyes burnt with a chilling fury that froze Ryohei on the spot. He couldn't even hop to keep himself warm in the biting morning air.

"Yukimura Suzume. For accusing the Discipline Committee of such a heinous crime, you shall be _bitten to death_!"

Did the Cloud Guardian sound… excited?

They pair disappeared in a puff of dust as they both kicked off the ground, and they chased each other across the rooftops.

Ryohei took a breath in, and out, counting to ten.

...Seven. Eight. Nine. Te-

And there was the explosion that always came with Hibari being excited.

Because the last time that had happened, Hibari had just discovered an angry Tsuna.

* * *

"_Damn_ it, where are they!"

"Calm down, Tsunayoshi, they wouldn't have left Namimori. Chrome's informing everyone, we'll find them in no time."

Mukuro, for all his antics in the past week, was cool, calm, and collected. While Tsuna desperately tried to contact Yukimura and Hibari, the male Mist Guardian easily coordinated the war efforts.

Because that was the magnitude of what they were dealing with. As Gokudera pored over a map of Namimori and Yamamoto was out with Lambo actively searching, their one and only thought was to stop the conflict between the two Committee Chairmen before all hell broke loose.

They were slowly losing their grip on the chains of said hell.

Tsuna sweat buckets as he kept on getting the dial tones of the two Vice-Chairmen's cellphones, groaning in memory of how this had all started.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori Town_

_Namimori Hospital, approximately 11PM_

Tsuna ran through corridor after corridor, sprinting at full speed, leaving double doors swinging wildly behind him, tailed by an agitated Reborn narrowly dodging said doors.

Nurses shot them dirty looks as they went by, but there was nothing else on Tsuna's mind but to _get to Yukimura_ and to _get to her FAST_.

On the way over, Reborn had told Tsuna tales of Yukimura's father. Seiji was a calm man, but Reborn could recall one incident where he had witnessed the man engulfed in true, full-blown anger.

And if Suzume was anything like her father, that meant that if Tsuna still wanted the Discipline Committee to _exist_ the next morning, he had to somehow be able to calm her down.

"Suzume-san!"

A whirl of a white cloak, and Tsuna met a pair of the most terrifying eyes he had ever seen.

Her pupils were wide, pitch black wells of simmering fury. Only a thin band of gold around them showed any proof of the calm, amused amber eyes he was used to on the Detention Chairman.

Tsuna's own eyes widened and he almost took a step back.

Almost.

"Suzume-san, please, calm down. I'm sure that there is a reasonable explanation for this. Hibari-san and his Committee aren't like this-"

"_Sawada Tsunayoshi. Who gave you permission to use my first name?_"

Tsuna stopped. While distinguishing between Yukimura and her father in his mind, he had inadvertently used her first name aloud.

Her voice was cold. Lilting. Tsuna felt a chill down his back, reminded unpleasantly of a certain dead Mist Guardian.

Behind Yukimura's imposing form, Aoshima sat in a visitor's seat at the bedside of one of two black-clad patients, fanning said patient with an intricately decorated metallic hand fan. Tsuna was astonished to find the faces familiar.

"Akiyama-san and Ichinose-san! Yo-you're _Wardens?_"

"Yo, Kaichou," the brunet Akiyama waved with a bandaged hand. Ichinose, took a glance at him and huffed, orange curls damp with being freshly sponged.

"_Aoshima found them bleeding out on the street on his way home,_" Yukimura interrupted, voice still dangerously light, left hand fingering the metal ornament at the end of her braid under her soft white cloak, eyes trained on Tsuna. "_The attackers wore Disciplinary Committee armbands and named Hibari Kyouya and Kusakabe Tetsuya_."

"That… that's…"

At that moment Kusakabe and a few Discipline Committee members burst into the room, nurses shouting after them, who were then mollified by more Disciplinary Prefects.

"Yukimura-san, I assure you that my Committee has nothing to do with this. I know of no such order to attack the Discipline Committee."

Yukimura's attention was taken by Kusakabe, and she turned herself accordingly. The band of prefects froze in their spots. One even fell against the doorframe and passed out cold.

"_Then explain why my Wardens saw Namigaku Discipline Committee armbands on their attackers._"

Kusakabe felt the sweat rolling down the side of his head under her gaze, the temperature in the room dropping by the second. A fluffy yellow bird chirped at his shoulder with concern.

Yukimura narrowed her eyes at the birds, and looked to each member in turn to see that quite a few hung out among them. "_The birds? Are they your mascots?"_

Kusakabe wet his lips to answer. "Partners. They do reconnaissance and messaging." The one on Kusakabe's shoulder hopped down to perch on his armband, gripping tightly onto the worn fabric.

"…_I do not wish to have to harm innocent animals. Please remove them from the premises."_

"…Pardon?"

Yukimura gripped her braid tightly, eyes glaring straight at Kusakabe.

"_Namimori Gakuen Disciplinary Committee. Prepare to serve your sentence._"

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Unknown Hotel, approximately 9AM_

High on the rooftop of an expensive hotel, Yukimura and Hibari sat as far as they could from one another on a stone bench.

"**Midori tanabiku, namimori no… Dainaku shounaku, nami ga ii…**"

Hibari lifted a finger for Hibird to land on, and brought the puffball to his ear, where it chirped quietly for a bit.

"You were right, woman."

Yukimura nodded, looking over to Hibird's claws buried deep in Hibari's armband. Strands of fluffy threads stuck out every which way from the worn red fabric.

"So shall we?"

A rare grin graced the head prefect's features. He stood and faced Yukimura, tonfas at the ready.

"My pleasure."

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Namimori Hospital, approximately 2AM_

Yukimura arrived back at her Wardens' suite, confusion written on her face.

"Iinchou?"

She looked up at Ichinose, magenta eyes alert and looking her way.

"Why are you awake, Sayaka?" she asked gently, walking over to her female Warden and pulling up the blankets. At some point while Yukimura was gone, Ichinose and Akiyama had been changed into regular hospital gowns, mainly so that their friends and family visiting the next day would remain oblivious of their club activities.

"Iinchou, why do you have that look on your face?"

Yukimura looked at Ichinose contemplatively for a moment, before deciding to ask her. "Sayaka, can you describe to me the armbands the attackers were wearing? Specifically, how new they looked?"

Ichinose furrowed her eyebrows. "It wasn't clear in the light, but when I grabbed one's arm it felt… it felt new. Like, fresh-off the sewing machine crisp… Iinchou! You're a _genius_!"

"Merely a suspicion, Sayaka. It could have just been some of the newer members, but I somehow doubt it…"

Yukimura's mind wandered to the sharp little claws of the yellow puffballs that were assigned to every prefect.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Unknown Supermarket, approximately 9:45AM_

Rokudo Mukuro was doing his weekly shopping. Despite appearances, the illusionist actually enjoyed everyday activities such as grocery shopping. Things like this and visiting the Laundromat, paying the bills, and picking up mail from his post office box were some of the only times he could relax and truly enjoy life out of Vendicare.

Sunday, when he got to fulfill these menial responsibilities, was Mukuro's favorite day of the week.

Because Monday to Saturday he had to work under a high-strung, high-pitched pipsqueak boss alongside colleagues whom he was sure ninety-percent of had acorns for brains. Just thinking about what he had had to put up with from Hibari the day before made the illusionist clutch onto the shopping trolley for support in exasperation.

When Tsunayoshi had finally released him from his service that morning as the brunet needed to attend a meeting and temporarily abandon the search, Mukuro had let go a sigh of relief. It wasn't like he was particularly eager to intrude on Hibari and an angry Yukimura's fight, anyway. It sounded like suicide.

The blue-haired man sighed and continued on along the fruit aisle, looking fondly over some tropical fruit when he was startled by a loud crash outside.

Through the glass doors, Mukuro saw Hibari and Yukimura duking it out with a ferociously bloodthirsty aura. Watching the two move in blurs around the parking lot, Mukuro debated whether or not it was his responsibility as the Historian to record the fight, and if he should inform Tsuna of the two's whereabouts.

"TO DARE LAY A FINGER ON MY BELOVED BROTHERS' DETENTION COMMITTEE! HIBARI KYOUYA, I WILL BEAT YOU TO A PULP WITH THE BIGGEST PINEAPP-"

Mukuro blocked his own ears.

He decided to not ruin his day off, and to get the story from Chrome later.

What _was_ it with that woman and pineapples?

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Namimori Hospital, 10:13AM_

Aoshima glanced at the clock and nodded. "It is about time I should be leaving. Take care, you two."

Akiyama nodded cheerfully. "You too, fukuiinchou!"

"Good luck," Ichinose added.

"Luck is not something I can rely on…" Aoshima smiled, tucking his pair of metallic fans into his blazer, standing and brushing himself off.

"Your Suzume-iinchou, however, is."

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Midori Boys' Academy, 10:15AM_

"Gah, we're fifteen minutes late!"

"I'm so sorry Jyuudaime! I should have paid closer attention to the time!"

"Maa, Hayato, it's all of us' fault! Anyway, I'm sure they won't mind a tiny fifteen minutes."

Gokudera gave Yamamoto a dirty look before lighting his cigarette and taking a drag. Tsuna frowned at him, but let it slide, mind still caught up with the whereabouts of Hibari and Yukimura.

Yamamoto just laughed and took a swig out of his drink bottle, abruptly pausing, and then suddenly throwing the bottle away in the nearest trashcan.

"Eh? Yamamoto? Wasn't that your favorite drink bottle?"

"Ahaha, it got dirty," he said with a fake smile. Tsuna frowned again and was about to press further when they caught sight of the Midori Boys' Student Council.

"Ah, Sawada-san, I'm so glad you could make it!" the raven-head that Tsuna assumed to be the President beamed. Tsuna suddenly felt something was off, but shrugged and continued to greet the other boys, one of which looked distinctly foreign, writing it off as his paranoia about his two chairmen undoubtedly killing each other somewhere.

"I would invite you into the school, but unfortunately Midori Boys' is always closed on Sundays. Any suggestions for where we should talk?" the Midori President, Fujiwara, smiled.

"I know a place," a familiar voice said behind Tsuna's shoulder.

Gokudera immediately sprung back, hands halfway to his pockets before he realized it was just Aoshima, beaming merrily, fanning himself with a shiny hand fan.

"Sorry for being late, Sawada-kaichou. Anyways, I know a brilliant small restaurant we can all talk privately in."

Aoshima hadn't been invited.

The silver-head leaned in to Tsuna's ear. "We found them."

Instantly any thoughts not about the wellbeing of his two Chairmen disappeared from Tsuna's mind. "Are they-"

"Let's go!"

The silver-haired Vice-Chairmen lead the group off at a brisk pace into the heart of Namimori, leaving Tsuna to fret and speculate over the state of his Cloud Guardian and Detention Chairman.

Aoshima's recommendation turned out to be a cosy European place with wooden tables and partitioned areas. It was indeed a nice place for private talking.

"Seven, please," Aoshima beamed at the dark-haired woman at the counter, who was wearing a white dress with a blue apron over top, brown eyes showing incredible youth for her years. She looked to be in her mid-thirties.

"Oh, Kiyoshi-kun! Come in, come in, mou, you should have made an appointment for so many people! You're lucky I spoil you!"

Aoshima laughed- it was a genuine laugh, Tsuna absently noted, and they followed the nimble woman to a fenced-in table at the back.

As Yamamoto admired the weaving work of the partition fences and Gokudera stared down the Midori councilmen, Tsuna looked at Aoshima pointedly for further information on Yukimura and Hibari.

"Shizuka-san, let's have the fifth lunch set. I haven't had your linguini in a while," Aoshima suggested.

"Alright, then!" A smile. "Are you sure your company would enjoy it?" she nodded to the other boys at the table.

"I'm sure they would, Trust me, my friend, the food here is excellent no matter what the order."

The Midori boys seemed content to humor Aoshima, and nodded their approval. Once Shizuka-san left, they started introducing themselves.

"As you know, Sawada-san, I am Fujiwara Kousuke. This is my Vice-President, Kamiyama Hiroto," he nodded to the bespectacled brunet on his right, "And my Club Coordinator Acciai Alfonso. He's Italian." The blond nodded gruffly.

Gokudera's wariness tripled. In the background Shizuka welcomed another group.

"Ah, well, I'm Sawada Tsunaysohi, and this is my Vice-President Gokudera Hayato. And these are my Sports Chairman Yamamoto Takeshi and… uh, school disciplinarian, Aoshima Kiyoshi."

Fujiwara's eyes narrowed for a moment at the word 'disciplinarian', but the look was gone as fast as it had come, replaced by a sweet smile, dark bangs accenting a forced cheerful expression.

"So, Sawada-kun… we actually called you here to discuss a different matter to club support…"

"Eh-eh? What do you want to talk about?"

Tsuna slowly realized that he had been ignoring a nagging Hyper Intuition when Acciai stood and blocked the entrance to their divided area, giving off an intense aura. Gokudera's hackles rose, but the silver-head seemed to be… falling asleep?

"Sawada-kun, Sawada-kun… Do you know that Namimori Gakuen is the most successful school in town?"

"….Yes. Yes, I do. What do you want?" Tsuna's voice went dangerously low. If Fujiwara was planning on harming _his_ school…

"Well, in the last couple of years, we, Midori Boys', have been losing popularity… Even some of our existing students have been transferring to Namigaku, and that just won't do… You know that the smaller the roll, the smaller the funding, right?"

"What do you want, Fujiwara?"

The boy laughed, Kamiyama beside him smirking and adjusting his glasses. "I don't think you understand your situation, Sawada-kaichou. You see, we're not just any normal school. People like Alfonso, for example, came all the way from Italy… we have students from Italy, Japan, Russia, China, even America… you have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

Yes, yes Tsuna did. "And what are you talking about, Kamiyama-san?"

"Ever heard of organized crime, Sawada-kaichou?"

Tsuna almost burst out into laughter right there and then, if he hadn't noticed that Yamamoto and Gokudera were fainting away before his eyes.

"What of it?"

"The Italian Mafia… Japanese Yakuza, Russian Mafia, Chinese Triads, American Mafia… Do you understand how deep you are now, Sawada? We're a school made to groom the next generation of organized crime."

Right there in Namimori? Impossible, Hibari would have surely picked up on that- no matter how well behaved, Mafiosi were Mafiosi, and the head prefect hunted them like a hound hunted foxes.

"I don't believe you. There's no such thing as organized crime in Namimori." Bar Tsuna himself and his little band of merry Mafiosi, of course.

"Hah. Well, we are a relatively new school, but Sawada-kaichou, what do you think we go to school for? If we were so easily recognized by civilians such as you people, we wouldn't be the best of the best!"

Tsuna almost choked at the cheesiness. "Well, what do you want?"

"You. Dead."

The threat obviously didn't have the intended effect, because Tsuna simply blinked and Aoshima yawned in the background. Fujiwara blinked as well.

"Oi, I don't think you're understanding. We want your head separated from your body, and we'll do it. If you don't believe we're who we are, we can always prove it to you," Fujiwara stood.

Aoshima flicked out a metal fan out of nowhere in front of Tsuna's face.

"Dear me, that was quite dangerous," the silver-haired boy tutted, turning his fan to reveal the butter knife and fork caught between it's sections. Kamiyama fumed. "Classic technique to distract one movement with another, but I don't think you know who you're dealing with."

"I could say the same for you, Aoshima Kiyoshi. Just because you're powerful in your school doesn't mean you have use anywhere else. Right now, this restaurant is filled with my men. You have nowhere to escape."

This only seemed to amuse Aoshima further.

Fujiwara looked like he were about to off Aoshima right there and then. "Do you not realize how quiet everything's gotten? You are already surrounded! The strongest members of your Council are off killing each other as we speak! There's no one else that can save you!" Fujiwara nodded to Gokudera and Yamamoto. "My men were even as efficient to get your little buddies as well. You're alone, Sawada, Aoshima, against at least thirty of us."

This time the silver-haired fan wielder really laughed. He doubled over, bubbling laughter eerie in the silence.

Tsuna sweat-dropped.

"There it is. You've signed to your sentence," Aoshima sighed.

"What?"

"Off killing each other, you say? Well, I wouldn't go _that_ far. Hibari-san _is_ a fellow Chairman, after all."

Tsuna looked behind him to see an incapacitated Acciai- when did that happen? - and a smiling Yukimura and smirking Hibari. Yukimura had two plates of pasta in her hands, and walked over to a stunned Fujiwara.

Tsuna raised an eyebrow at the seafood on top of the pasta before both plates met the faces of the Midori President and Vice-President.

"Your order. _Linguini a la Vongola_."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: I'll go into cardiac arrest at this rate. Reviews and follows and favorites and Lunakatsuma who's done all three and has reviewed _every_, yes, you heard me right, _every_ _chapter __so far _make me incredibly lightheaded. In a giddy way. **

**Here is the chapter. Here are also the tomatoes, and the bordering-on-heart-disease author. Have fun, reader-samas, in whichever way pleases you.**

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Namimori Park, approximately 10AM_

Hibari and Yukimura stopped fighting abruptly and stood quietly.

"You can come out, now, you know. We know you're there," Yukimura smiled.

A moment later, five boys in Midori uniforms entered the clearing.

"So you found out, huh?"

"As expected of the strongest Chairman in Namigaku, Hibari Kyouya."

"Well, if you're not going to fight, we'll just have to take care of you ourselves. Just like your pathetic Wardens were."

Hibari smirked.

Yukimura continued smiling, only underneath her smiling eyelids, her irises thinned into a gold band.

The tonfa-wielder lunged for the closest Midori boy, who narrowly dodged with a long scrape on his cheek. Swearing, the redhead got out a pair of guns.

The other Chairman gave a driving punch down into the hollow between another Midori's neck and collarbone, and the boy fell to gasp for air; Yukimura's swinging braid catching the next attacker around the wrist as he rushed in from behind the first, pulling him off balance.

As Hibari bent low to lock weapons with a bow-staff wielder, Yukimura used his back as a springboard, rolling her own back onto his and then snapping her body into the air, sending both her heels under the chins of her two opponents, effectively felling them.

Hibari backed into her afterwards to close the gap between them, and for a few seconds they fought back-to-back. Before the gun-toting redhead sent a couple of shots towards Hibari's feet.

The skylark didn't bother to move as the shots were beat away by a metal hair ornament with distinctive pinging noises.

The two then separated again to pursue their respective opponents for a few feet, before being driven back together again by careful gunshots and a swinging bow staff. A Midori that was obviously some sort of martial artist was on their other side, and for a moment the five people stared at each other.

Then the gun-wielder twitched and all hell broke loose again as Hibari stopped a bullet millimeters from Yukimura's shoulder with a flick of a tonfa.

"Thanks." Though both heard the unsaid part-

'What, I'm worth keeping around now?'

Hibari didn't turn around. "Hn."

'Shut up and fight, woman.'

Five minutes later, the clearing was silent, save the moaning of the one Midori that was conscious, and the dripping blood of another that was in a tree, covered in long gashes, and what looked like suspiciously like rope burns.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

'_Sapore Nostra' restaurant, approximately 10:40AM_

Yukimura's eyes narrowed. "_You dared to attack my Wardens and frame the Discipline Committee. You threatened Sawada Tsunayoshi, our beloved President. If you wish to see another sunrise, I suggest you quit while you're ahead._"

Tsuna shivered as Yukimura's lilting voice returned again, as she lifted the plates off of the Midori boys' faces and then savagely crashed their heads together with the plates on either side. Tsuna would have laughed at how comical it looked as the boys were squished between the plates if he didn't note how _painful_ that looked.

"My prefects have quietly detained the other Midori students present and are taking them away as we speak. They will be… looked after by the woman's Wardens."

Yukimura sighed as her eyes returned to normal. "That felt good." She looked down at the unconscious duo at her feet, and the blond Acciai that was being dragged away by a couple of passing prefects.

"But- how did you know we would be here? Wait, how did you know they were the ones who attacked Akiyama-san and Ichinose-san?"

Yukimura smirked and lifted Hibari's armband with a finger. "These. The ones on the attackers were brand new, but every present Disciplinary prefect has had a bird with them for at least a month. The birds are fond of perching on their armbands, and pull out threads while doing so." She pointed to the fluffy top edge. "Hibari-san's for example, is feather-soft around the top because of his… Hibird, did you call it? His Hibird having perched there for years."

"We confirmed this by showing a line-up of all the prefects to the attacked Wardens. None were recognized," Hibari intoned.

"Once that was confirmed, Hibari-san sent Hibird out on a hunt starting from where Hail and Sleet were attacked. He followed the scent back to Midori Academy."

"…And how did you know we'd meet here?"

Yukimura and Aoshima shared small smiles, though Aoshima's was more of a grin, a slight flush on his face now visible as he lost control of his fever, his medication losing effect much quicker than it should have.

"Suzume! Did you come to help out?"

"Sorry to disappoint. We're just taking care of some business."

"Eh- YUKIMURA SEIJI-SAN?"

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Town_

_Midori Boys' Private Academy, Underground Level, 12:30PM_

"This doesn't feel right. The President's been gone for far too long."

"He's probably having fun, don't disrupt him now. Knowing Kamiyama and Acciai, our bastard Kaichou is probably watching Sawada Tsunayoshi being beat to a pulp while drinking a lemon lime bitter, cackling his jaws off."

"Uh… Guys, we've got an incoming call. From Namigaku."

"Put it on speaker. It's probably the bastard gloating…"

"_Good afternoon, gentlemen from Midori Academy. This is the Namimori Academy Student Secretary speaking, Chrome Dokuro."_

The Midori boys looked sharply at one another. Something was definitely not right.

"_I carry a message from our Disciplinary Chairman regarding your recent attempt at felling Namigaku," _Chrome continued sweetly, as if she were talking about menial office happenings. "_His message is, I quote, 'When the Midori Boys' Council comes to apologize to our President, we will let theirs out of the basement.' That is all. Good day."_

The dial tone filled a stunned silence.

* * *

Yukimura Suzume was off… 'having fun' with the Midori detainees, while Sawada Tsunayoshi groaned at his desk.

On a _Sunday_. He was at his desk, on a _Sunday_. Whoever was going to show up from Midori to collect their schoolmates was going to get a hell of a talking to.

It turned out that Gokudera and Yamamoto's drugging had been done by Aoshima. Yukimura and Hibari had needed spoken proof that the Midori Boys' Student Council was behind all of the recent troubles, and Yukimura knew that the right-hand and the swordsman would only get in the way of letting Fujiwara and Kamiyama rant.

It wasn't that hard to drug the two, apparently. With Gokudera's smoking habits and Yamamoto's ex-favorite water bottle, it had been a breeze for Aoshima to sneak in the appropriate substances while they weren't looking.

Granted, Aoshima was now being chased around the school by a ticked off Shigure Souen master and a furious Hurricane Bomb, but the silver-haired Vice Chairman was having fun with the daze of his fever and leading them around the school with grins and… and _giggles_.

Back to the topic at hand. Mukuro was down with Yukimura documenting the names and faces of the offenders, and Chrome had contacted Midori's not-so-secret underground base.

Oh, right. Hibari had already known about every nook and cranny of Midori's 'secrets', part of the reason he and Yukimura had seen through the framing of the Disciplinary Committee so quickly. When asked by an exasperated Tsuna why he had never found the need to _tell him_ that there were about five hundred other Mafiosi in town, the skylark shrugged and simply said Tsuna had never asked.

Anyway, as demonstrated by that day's events, they weren't threats.

The door to Tsuna's office abruptly slammed open, and a bunch of boys in Midori uniforms poured into the elegant room, some holding weapons, others brandishing impressive-looking muscles and wrapped fists.

"Sawada Tsunayoshi! I don't know how that bastard President of ours got caught by you, but prepare to never be heard of again!"

Tsuna slapped a hand to his forehead and sighed. Chrome chuckled softly at her desk.

There was an awkward silence as Tsuna stood, staring at the leader of the Midori gang with a pleading look. "Oh come on. It's Sunday. Why couldn't you have gone straight to the Detention Centre if you wanted to fight?"

The leader, a boy with spiky bleached hair and a bandage-wrapped torso under an open Midori jacket, blinked at Tsuna's indifference to the blatant threats to his life present in the room. According to sources, Sawada Tsunayoshi was a no-good, clumsy coward…

Tsuna walked straight past the group, out the door. "Come on. I'll take you to your president."

A shot was fired that was deflected by a… trident? A trident that came out of nowhere. Chrome hummed in disapproval quietly. "I'd rather you not do that, gentlemen. Boss wants us to be as civil as we can with you."

Bewildered, the Midori boys were lead down to the Detention Centre.

* * *

"I didn't know that Midori had such talented opera singers," Mukuro commented. Those of the Student Council present were going over the footage the Historian had captured of that afternoon's shenanigans, played on a projector screen in the waiting room.

"Ahaha, I don't think they're singing," Yamamoto laughed. Even he winced though, as one boy's voice hit a particularly screeching note.

"Well, they should seriously consider trying it. They have incredible vocal ranges."

Yup. Tsuna, Yamamoto, Gokudera, Mukuro, Chrome, Yukimura and Aoshima were watching a video of the Midori boys scrambling to get out of the Detention Centre, unleashing screams of pure terror.

"The megane-kun that was holding the baseball bat was particularly exceptional. I didn't know that male vocal chords could produce that kind of unique sound," Yukimura added, referring to the bespectacled brunet that had sounded somewhat like a high-pitched police siren. The Detention Chairmen sipped her tea demurely, as if she weren't the main cause of the screaming in the video.

"My favorite would have to be Fujiwara himself. He looked like he was putting so much effort into it!" Mukuro added.

"Ah, yes, that was because he spent most of his energy in the Cat Room. _Spectacular_ lungs, I would agree."

Tsuna sweat-dropped at the back-and-forth his Historian and Detention Chairman had developed over the last few hours in each other's company. It seemed they had a similar sense of humor, despite Yukimura's occasional violent threats involving tropical fruit that disturbed Mukuro so much.

"So… What should we do next, Jyuudaime? Do you want to pursue their crime?"

Tsuna shook his head. "For the time being, I'd like to stay as far away from our neighboring Mafiosi as possible. In case… you know." In case Tsuna's position in the underworld got out.

"That's right, my father mentioned that you're Reborn-sensei's personal student. Hibari-san also mentioned that you're an upcoming Boss. Must be tough."

"Mn."

…Wait.

"Hang on, you mean you _don't know_?" Gokudera stared at her disbelief.

Yukimura blinked. "I tend to avoid my father's old world as much as I can help it. Today was an exception."

"…Wait, wait. Does that mean… Aoshima-san, the clams?..." Tsuna trailed off.

Aoshima blinked, still in the middle of untangling the knots in his hair from scuffling with Yamamoto and Gokudera. "What? I like clam sauce."

* * *

At the hospital, Akiyama and Ichinose were being berated by an incredulous Yuutaka Miyako.

"_How_ do you even trip down three flights of stairs? That's ridiculous! Mitsu, you do _kendo_ for goodness sakes! Aren't you meant to have exceptionally good footwork?..."

Akiyama and Ichinose shared a look as their navy-haired best friend continued to rant about their carelessness.

"…And if the stairs weren't enough, you crash into the library cart in the hallway? I didn't even know that the library opened that late!..."

"Oi, Miya, calm down. It's not like we're in hospital forever or anything," Akiyama laughed.

Ichinose nodded. "We'll be out before you know it."

Miyako pouted slightly, folding her arms across her flowing blue summer dress. She had been returning from a day trip to Osaka when she heard the news, and had literally leapt out of her car to run to the hospital. She was obviously upset at not being told earlier, and wouldn't let it go anytime soon.

"Come here, Miya," Akiyama relented, patting a spot on his bed beside him. Ichinose got up to sit beside her, hand on her shoulder as Akiyama gave her a hug from behind. "Come on, don't be mad. We didn't want you to worry."

"You fall down three flights of stairs and break your ribcages, crash into a library cart with enough force to scratch your faces, and then _you _break your nose on a doorframe on the way to the hospital, and you expect me _not to worry_?"

Even Ichinose sweat-dropped. "Uh…"

"...Yeah?"

Akiyama was almost suffocated with a pillow that day.

* * *

On Monday, Tsuna returned to his desk with resignation. He glared at the pile of paperwork from yesterday's incident, and was relieved when he realized half of it was filled in already or deemed unnecessary. It seemed Mukuro and Chrome had taken pity on him.

Angels. They were angels.

...Alright, Mukuro in particular was anything _but_ an angel, but Tsuna appreciated his work all the same.

"Sawada-kaichou, the weekend's Detention records." An in-uniform Warden set a file on Tsuna's desk. Usually the weekend record was only a few students that had to serve sentences on Saturdays for repeated severe academic failure. Lately the numbers of Saturday sentences had been going down, but this file was several pages thick.

"It seems Suzume-iinchou had some fun on Sunday with some outside offenders, so it's a lot more substantial than usual."

Tsuna laughed nervously. "Ah, I see."

Woah.

Yukimura had really gone to town with those Midori boys. Especially a particular five, for some reason.

"Thank you for your trouble. I'll send it back later today."

The Warden nodded, bowed lightly, and left as silently as he had come.

Tsuna shuddered. Maybe he would get the Detention Committee bell collars for Christmas or something.

* * *

Reborn was peacefully sipping his coffee in his office, going over some anonymous questions to the school counselor that had come in over the weekend.

'Dear Reborn-sensei… I really like this girl, and I've been trying to talk to her since last year, but she keeps ignoring me. Does this mean she hates me?'…Reborn blinked and then set his coffee down to write and answer.

'Kid, join a sports' team, learn a European language, earn some money to buy her a rose bouquet and try again.'

He set it aside into a pile of finished questions.

'Dear Reborn-sensei, I think our Detention and Disciplinary Chairmen are insane. From: a Victim.'

Reborn snorted lightly. 'Dear Victim. I agree.'

'Dear Reborn-sensei, my tou-san and kaa-san yell at each other a lot at night and break things. I think they're going to break their bed as well because they jump on it all the time! What should I do to make them stop yelling all the time and breaking things?'

Reborn turned the paper over. It was from the primary school division.

'Kiddo, buy a pair of earmuffs and put them on when they start yelling and go to sleep. Trust me. You'll thank me in a few years.'

Next one.

'Reborn, I think I'm going to die a horrifying, slow, painful death by the hands of my own Council. Actually, I think I see a white hair. Oh _dio_, it's going to be even slower than I imagined. '

'Get back to your paperwork, Tsuna.'

"Hmm. You're actually quite good at this."

Reborn would've jumped a foot in the air if he were anyone else but Reborn. Instead he had a gun pointed to the temple of his intruder, who was reading over his finished questions.

"As high-strung as ever, ne?" The man was wearing blue jeans and a black sweater, bringing out his feline-yellow eyes.

"_Seiji_. I swear to the God one of these days I'm going to use your head as a doorstop."

"Love you too, my darling Reborn." Seiji casually swept the agitated hitman tutor's gun away with a hand. "Anywho, I'm here for a purpose. You know of the events that transpired yesterday, I assume?"

The fedora-donning man scoffed. "Who do you think I am?"

"Of course, of course. I simply wanted to remind you that I'd rather not get involved with these things again, but I will if my new world is put in danger."

"Your point?"

Seiji sat on Reborn's desk, tucking his legs up to rest on the counselor's lap firmly so he couldn't shoo him off. Reborn seethed.

"My point, is that I know you can't help a lot of it with Namigaku's entire Student Council being Vongola, but I don't want Suzume dragged into your world if she doesn't want to be." Seiji knew she didn't want to be, and drilled this point into Reborn with his bewitching yellow gaze. "There's a reason I left it, and she knows it."

"…You want me to keep her as uninvolved as possible."

But she would be _such an asset_…

Seiji read Reborn's expression and shook his head firmly. "I don't care, Reborn. She's my girl. My _only_ girl. Shin may have chosen to return to your side of the world, but Shou and Suzume are staying out as far as I can help it."

And so by extension, as far as Reborn could help it.

Which was quite far.

Reborn's eyes narrowed, but on the inside he had already given in. Sensing this, Seiji smiled and gave the Italian a light kiss on the cheek. "Thank you."

After Seiji left, Namigaku's school counselor went to wipe his face with a boiled towel.

* * *

Hibari Kyouya was sleeping on the high school division's roof, as was usual on Mondays.

The head prefect detested Mondays.

The students were always less attentive that usual, and Hibari was grouchier for it with having so many people to bite to death and so little time. Eventually he just decided to skip Mondays altogether and have Kusakabe deal with it.

"**Hibari! Hibari!**"

Grey eyes fluttered open lethargically as the bird landed next to his ear and started chattering.

Abruptly the Disciplinary Chairman sat up and disappeared inside the building.

It appeared that Aoshima had recovered substantially from his illness from the weekend.

Yukimura Suzume was available.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Readers used REVIEWS. It is super effective! Author is STUNNED. Lunakatsuma used AMAZING REPLY. Author has FAINTED.**

**(Enjoy, reader-samas. You may poke the unconscious author with a stick if it's bad.)**

* * *

"Midori tanabiku, namimori no…"

The Academy's anthem was admittedly catchy, Yukimura mused, as she wandered the empty high school division halls, list of detention ditchers in hand. She hummed it lightly as she walked, playing around with the melody, coming up with variations and harmonies as she scanned the classroom number plates for the hiding place of her unfortunate vic- detainee.

It had been a week or so since the incident with Midori, and as the ever-busy Student Council they were, Tsuna, Hibari and company had gone back to their regular routines as if nothing had happened and there weren't a school of mafiosi a ten-minute walk away.

"Kokawa Yurie-chan, huh? Poor girl, it's only her first year in Namigaku... Must be a pretty reckless one though if she went through both Suzuki-san _and_ Hibari-san…"

The lightest of buzzes was heard, and Yukimura fished her mobile from the inside of her blazer, having received a message from one of her Wardens. Another three detention-ditchers had been captured.

"Mm, we're having a smooth morning…"

"Yukimura Suzume. Fight me."

Yukimura stared at the smirking prefect that was blocking her progress down the hallway in exasperation for a moment, and then tucked the list she was holding into her jacket and sent a quick message to Aoshima.

'Cover for me, I'll be busy today.'

Yukimura was unable to reply when Aoshima sent back the word 'Again?'.

* * *

"Run faster, kora!"

Tsuna winced as he narrowly dodged a frighteningly accurate rifle shot at his feet. For goodness sakes, why was there such a thing as school athletics days? And as if _planning, budgeting, _and _hosting_ the dreaded event wasn't enough work for poor Tsuna-chan, he had to _prepare_ for it with his classmates as well.

"Jyuudaime, it's fine! We've got you!"

Before he knew what was happening, Tsuna was lifted off his feet by both of his arms, Gokudera on his left and Yamamoto on his right. They continued to run while carrying their President in this manner, either blatantly ignoring Tsuna's protests, or defying him for once.

"Kyaa! That's so cute! Keep up the good work, Yamamoto-kun, Gokudera-kun!"

"We should try our best to help Sawada-kaichou as well! Let's work hard so he can focus on his paperwork!"

"HAI!"

Tsuna didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

Laugh, because he was finally no longer called 'Dame-Tsuna'.

Or cry, because he was now 'Sawada-kaichou' instead.

"You two! Put down the kid, kora! He has legs!" Colonello yelled, firing shots randomly.

Since when did Reborn become the sane one out of the faculty's two ex-Arcobaleno?

* * *

"INCOMING!" a student yelled, face pale as he pointed out the window, before ducking under his desk like everyone else. Including the teacher.

Through the open window flew in Yukimura Suzume, their not-so-loved Detention Chairman.

Yukimura crashed harshly against the opposite wall to the window and winced as she got up, brushing herself off.

Following through the window with a graceful leap was their very-much-so feared Disciplinary Chairman Hibari Kyouya.

"Sorry for the intrusion. Woman, move."

"Hai, hai," Yukimura sighed, shuffling out the door lethargically.

The class sat stock still as the noises of a battle started up outside, and stayed as silent as they could until they faded away to terrorize another wing.

The new English teacher, that was only starting that week, got up slowly from under her desk, looking around at the relieved faces of her students. It seemed this was a normal occurrence.

Well, that explained the unusually high pay.

And Reborn-sensei warning her to be wary of any students wearing striped jackets.

"…Thank you for the warning, Nakayama-kun."

* * *

"I don't even… You know what? I give up. You can explain yourselves to Kyoko-chan and Enma-kun yourself. You're willing to spend all that energy fighting nonstop through school day, disrupting everyone's classes, but when asked to participate in something as simple as an _athletics day_ you refuse?"

"Simply because my father would then have another excuse to come wreak havoc. You do remember what happened on Parent's day, don't you, Sawada-kaichou?" Yukimura smiled gently.

"It's not worth my time," Hibari said plainly.

Tsuna buried his face in his left palm, his right hand still signing off random papers. "Fine, fine, just go tell Kyoko-chan. Chrome will take it from there." It had been a long shot to hope that Hibari might participate anyway.

"Why can't we just go straight to Chrome-san?" Yukimura queried, earning her the sight of a vein throbbing at her President's forehead.

"Don't _make _me drag you there by your collars…"

"We're going," Hibari interrupted, almost hastily. "Come, woman. He's in a bad mood."

"What am I, your dog?" she muttered as she followed him out the door to the neighboring Social Chairperson's office.

"Herbivore. We're not participating in the athletics day."

Kyoko simply tilted her head at this abrupt intrusion and smiled. "Why not? It's going to be so much fun!"

Yukimura made a quiet snort at the back of her throat as she watched Hibari reacting to the ball of sunshine that was Sasagawa Kyoko. As the Social Chair went on about how the athletics day strengthened school bonds and that showing off the prowess of the disciplinarians of the school was beneficial for everyone, Hibari was silent under her warm smile, a small bead of sweat at the side of his head. Like he was melting in sunlight like a vampire or something.

Just that image alone made Yukimura snort again. Quietly, of course, in case he heard.

"Alright, Sasagawa-san, Hibari-san will participate. I'm afraid that I have reasons to sit out, however, and will have to ask you to schedule me out of the Student Council events."

"Ah, that's fine! Wonderful! As long as at least one of you can participate in a spar with Suzuki-san, it'll be enough!"

This time it was Hibari's turn to almost burst a vein. "Woman…"

"What? You were going to agree anyway. I saved you the trouble of _melting_ further."

"…After school, rooftop. It turns out my mood today won't be stellar either." And with that the Disciplinary Chairman stalked out of the room.

As soon as he was out of earshot, Haru giggled. Yukimura raised an eyebrow.

"You two are so… so… CUTE desu!"

The Detention Chairman blinked. "Ha… _Hah_?"

"I know, right?" Kyoko joined in, giggling as well. "So, has he asked you out? Or are you doing that adorable both-waiting-for-the-other thing?"

Growing up with two brothers, Yukimura Suzume was overwhelmed momentarily by the sheer… _power_ of the teenage females' squeals and smiles. There was way too much estrogen in the room for her own good.

Where the hell was that damn Historian when you needed him at his desk? At least with him around there would be less open… squealing… and someone's head to smash into the wall.

"Oh, you don't know, Yukimura-san? We think that Hibari might _like_ you! He's never _liked_ anyone before! EXCITING desu!"

Yukimura suddenly felt woozy. "Is… it hot in here?"

"Ara, ara, she's blushing!"

Yukimura could feel herself on the edge of fainting from their radiant grins.

She was going to _murder_ Rokudo Mukuro when she found him.

* * *

Down in the primary school division, Bovino Lambo was somewhat of a big deal. The only Student Council member coming from the youngest division, the curly-haired, pre-pubescent ladies' man was a smooth talker and, surprisingly enough, an efficient worker.

"Lambo-kun! You're heading over to the high-school division, right?" one girl from his class asked when the ending bell rung.

"Aa. I have some paperwork to hand in. Why?"

"A-ano… would you mind taking this set of house keys to my brother? I'm going to be sleeping over at Honoka-chan's tonight and he lost his a week ago, so…"

Lambo smiled, as Fuuta had taught him to when dealing with younger kids and girls. "Sure, Mitsuki-san. Who's your brother?"

"A-Akiyama Mitsuya. He's a first-year in the high school division."

"Alright. He has club activities after school, right? Then I'll just ask Tsuna-nii and have them delivered."

"A-Arigato, Lambo-kun!"

"Tsuki-chan! Let's go!"

"Ah! See you tomorrow, Lambo-kun!

Lambo nodded, replied, and went on his way, putting the ring of jingling keys carefully into his pocket.

When he arrived at the Student Council office, Lambo peered into Tsuna's office carefully before entering. It was nearing the time of the athletics' day, and no doubt Tsuna would be in a bad mood.

"Ahoushi? Here to deliver the attendance records?"

"Will you ever stop calling me that?" Lambo sighed as he dropped the file on Gokudera's desk. Tsuna was working silently in the background, the scratching of his pen continuous and insistent.

"Anyway, I have another thing to ask. Do you know anyone named Akiyama Mitsuya? First-year in the high school division?"

The scratching stopped.

"Hah? No, I don't think so… Why're you looking for someone in the high school division?"

Lambo lifted the keys into view. "Doing a favour."

"Lambo… What favour are you doing?"

"Delivering keys, Tsuna-nii. This Akiyama Mitsuya has a little sister in my class."

"…Leave them here. I'll have someone take them later."

The boy shrugged. "If you say so. Thanks a bunch."

When Lambo was out of sight, Gokudera cleared his throat. "Why not let him deliver it himself?"

Not hearing his Storm Guardian's query, Tsuna leaned back in his chair. "So they got out of hospital already… that's a relief. I wonder if they had to get new cloaks... then again they're black, so I guess they'd launder easily..."

Gokudera decided not to ask.

* * *

Hibari had Yukimura pinned to the side of the water tank, a foot holding the end of her braid in place.

"…Something's off. Your movements are sloppy. Was your face always this red?"

Yukimura made a dismissive sound. "I feel kind of sick."

Hibari leapt back.

"Yeah, I don't want to pass it onto you either."

Hibari suddenly leapt forward again to stop her from falling head-first down past the door onto the roof's floor. "What's wrong with you?" he growled.

"That's what I'd like to know…" she muttered, extricating herself from the support of his tonfas and making her way down to the main level of the roof with wobbly legs. "Let's call it a day…"

* * *

Aoshima was patrolling the halls of the Detention Centre when he got a text from the President to go up to the Student Council Office. He groaned. He grabbed the nearest free Warden.

"Frost, keep an eye on things while I'm gone. The kaichou wants something."

"Aa."

Aoshima ignored the sounds of Hibari and Yukimura shuffling around in the hallways, thinking they were probably grappling, as he swiftly made his way up to the Student Council's office.

On his way to the Student Council office, he passed Reborn-sensei yelling angrily into a phone, and after hearing "I'm going to skin you alive and use your damn catty eyes as paperweights!" Aoshima concluded that he was talking to Seiji.

He knocked on the open door before entering the President's office after Chrome. "So, Sawada-kaichou, what was it you wanted me to do?"

* * *

Reborn stared at the letter.

He blinked, rubbing his eyes.

Then he stared again.

'What do you do if a girl likes you?'

From the high school division.

The _high school division_.

Reborn was going to have to write an essay.

Dreading the work, he momentarily ditched his office to go get some coffee. At the staff kitchens he met Chrome preparing two cups of coffee at breakneck speed.

Reborn leaned on the doorframe and watched curiously.

He had to admit, to be able to make coffee that well that quickly, Chrome was a darn good Secretary.

"Ah! Reborn-san!"

"They're for Gokudera and Tsuna, right?"

Chrome nodded with a small smile, putting the mugs onto a tray.

Then one of her many phones rang. She retrieved the mobile from one of her many jacket pockets and looked at the number. "Ah, it's one of our fellow Academies…"

Reborn nodded. "Take it. I'll get the caffeine to Tsuna."

Chrome smiled gratefully and nodded, answering the call and stepping out onto the kitchen's balcony.

Reborn picked up the tray with ease single-handed, and made his way down the hallways to the Student Council's quarters. He knocked lightly on Tsuna's door before stepping into the room, giving Gokudera his coffee and holding Tsuna's under his nose to snap him out of his paperwork routine.

Yes, Tsuna had a paperwork routine.

"Ah. Thanks, Reborn."

A moment passed as Tsuna took hold of his coffee, before freezing and turning to look at his hitman tutor.

"…What's wrong with it?"

"Nothing. Chrome had to take a call, so I volunteered to deliver it."

Tsuna peered suspiciously at the mug, back at Reborn, and then took a sip. He sighed.

"This work is really getting to me. And I know, don't remind me, the day I take up the seat of Decimo I'll understand the true meaning of death by paperwork."

Reborn chuckled, fingering the gun at his hip almost absently.

"…You want to see Yukimura Seiji-san again, don't you?"

Reborn's expression immediately fell, his mouth twisted into an… almost childish scowl. "Why would I _ever _want to see his stupid grinning face a single extra time than need be?"

"You never did tell me the story of what happened between you two," Tsuna replied.

Reborn paused. "It's a long one," he sighed. "And you have paperwork."

As Reborn walked out, Tsuna said "Tonight?"

The hitman smirked, throwing a scary smile over his shoulder, fedora lowered. "That is, if you're done with that pile before its morning."

Tsuna groaned and buried his face in his papers.

* * *

Chrome lifted the phone away from her ear to stare at it for a moment before putting it back to her ear. "Ano… I don't know if you're aware, Ootori-san, but we're quite far away from you, in Namimori, so… Really?"

She almost dropped her phone at the next words. "But we couldn't possibly- To be blunt, we realize you are rich, but… Oh, you flatter us, Ootori-san. But are you sure? In terms of size, compred to your Academy,we are miniscu-"

Chrome blushed. "I see. Alright, I'll tell the kaichou as soon as possible. I look forward to meeting you, Ootori-san."

Tsuna would probably dread having to make such a large diplomatic trip, but in reality, there was no way Namimori Academy could say _no_ when this other school was involved.

* * *

Hibari was very startled when Yukimura fainted in front of him.

The woman was not the type to sporadically faint.

Even when she had been losing her footing the whole way down from the roof into the school's hallways, Hibari had not expected her to do something so herbivorous as to _faint._

He nudged her with a toe, and when he deemed that she wasn't getting up, he sighed, looking around in an irritated manner. Really, where was Kusakabe when you needed him?

He debated leaving her there for someone else to discover, but figured that would make him look bad. So he grabbed her by her blazer and threw her over his shoulder, and made his way down to the Detention Centre.

To leave her _there_ instead.

As he made his way down the spiral stairway, Hibari tried his best to ignore the screams and cries that always decorated the Centre's atmosphere after school. He made a beeline for the Chairman's office and dumped her on her couch, and was about to leave when he spotted her shivering slightly.

Damn his stupid conscience.

So then he spent another ten minutes in there looking for the blankets and covering her in one.

As he got closer to her face, Yukimura shifted uncomfortably and ducked under the blanket a bit. Hibari noted that she had a heavy blush on her cheeks, and her breathing was becoming labored.

Oh.

_That_ was what was happening.

And then Aoshima returned from delivering house keys to one of the Wardens.

"Hibari? What are you- What'd you do to her!"

Aoshima rushed to kneel by his Chairman's side, as her eyes fluttered open.

Hibari shrugged. "Nothing. She just fainted."

Aoshima looked worriedly at Yukimura as she woke, and then a thought struck him.

Uh-oh. This wasn't good.

"Suzume… do you feel lightheaded and sweaty?"

"Yeah… why?"

"And can you hear your heart in your ears?"

"Mhm…"

Aoshima gave her a sympathetic look and then Yukimura's expression twisted to disbelief as she realized his implications.

"YOU'RE KIDDING!" She then glared at Hibari. "This is all your fault!"

Hibari, having come to the same logical conclusion, blinked. "I fail to see how."

"If you hadn't felt the need to drag me around so late that time, this would never have happened! It's a chain reaction!"

"Suzume, calm down, I'll go get you some medi-"

"And _you_, Kiyoshi! I CAN'T BELIEVE I CAUGHT YOUR STUPID FLU!"

* * *

"Chrome… you realize we have an athletics day next Friday…"

"...Yes, Boss."

"And the weekend _after_ you want us to go visit those rich bastards?" Gokudera spat.

"You know we can't refuse, Gokudera-san."

"Che."

Tsuna buried both his hands in his hair. "I am _not_ ready to see that blond leader of theirs again. Come on, we dealt with Midori the week before! Give me a break!" he moaned into his desk.

"Sorry, Boss, but I'm only the messenger."

"I know, I know."

"…Want me to get you some cookies, Boss?"

"…Yes, please."

* * *

"HIBARI KYOUYA! I STILL HOLD YOU RESPONSIBLE!"

Hibari blinked with Aoshima on the other side of the room. "Is it just me, or is she louder when she's sick?"

"Always has been. Though this is nothing. The time she got drugged up after an operation, she was a nightmare."

"Hn?"

"You don't want to know. Trust me."

They were in the infirmary, and Hibari was itching to leave, but with Yukimura yelling at him every time he _moved_ and Aoshima giving him that damned guilt-tripping abandoned puppy look, even the head prefect had been swayed to stay.

"Midori tanabiku, namimori no! …Dainaku, shounaku, nami ga ii…"

"Oh great, she's started singing," Aoshima sighed.

Hibari huffed. At least she still had a decent taste in music.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Oh lordy that was a long gap. No wonder I was feeling guilty for some reason. Please accept my head-banging groveling, reviewers, Lunakatsuma, followers. GOMENNASAI. **

**If you're ever able to forgive me then... here's the chapter, reader-samas.**

* * *

It was the Monday of the week of the athletics day, and one of the rare mornings when Yukimura and Hibari actually attended the morning meeting themselves.

Mainly because Tsuna had been… a bit stressed out lately and they secretly feared what would happen if they accidentally ticked him off.

Cough.

Anywho.

"You are _all _participating in the athletics day. _No exceptions_."

Tsuna was standing at the head of the table, hands planted firmly on the glass surface, bags under his eyes and hair mussed every which way.

Yukimura bit the side of her lip. "But-"

"_NO. EXCEPTIONS._"

Hibari gave her a look that said 'Just agree before he goes all raging-kaichou on our asses.'

...Well, Yukimura paraphrased his _exact_ words in her head.

"…Alright. I'll participate."

His demeanor immediately reverted back to his kind look, if somewhat tired. "Alright. As I informed you last week, we will be visiting one of our sister Academies soon. This weekend. As soon as the athletics day is over, the entire Student Council will leave for Bunkyo, Tokyo. All striped blazers will attend."

Shouichi frowned. "Then who will clean up after the athletics day?"

"The non-striped members of the Council. While we are away, the Disciplinary Prefects, Detention Wardens, sports teams, etcetera will take care of things here until we're back on Monday."

"Wait- we're leaving for a whole weekend?" Yukimura frowned.

"Yes. Our dear sister school is holding a ball and banquet this weekend for their fellow Academies and sponsors, and have offered to accommodate us once there. Transport will be taken care of by Dino-san, he volunteered when he heard."

"…_Haneuma _Dino?"

Everyone looked at Yukimura. She chuckled. "My, Sawada-kaichou. You're definitely not small fry, in this world or yours."

The elephant in the room was suffocating.

Hibari coughed. "I see you've recovered from your flu, woman."

Yukimura's eye twitched. "We agreed not to talk about that."

"I just wanted to make the point that you owe me a rematch."

"NOT HERE," Tsuna bellowed before either of them could get up form their seats. They stayed rooted in their chairs. "We still have half an hour of meeting left. You're not moving an _inch_ until we're done."

"…Hai, Sawada-kaichou."

"…Hai."

* * *

Yukimura stood in her black robes, a black ribbon around her bicep, looking rather resigned.

The ribbon had the words 'DETENTION COMMITTEE' written on it in creamy white. Yukimura wore her robe with the hood down, spinning the end of her braid lazily as she eyed the other two people inside the chalk circle drawn on the concrete courtyard.

One on side was Hibari, gakuran proudly whipping in the wind. His armband was on his arm as always, Hibird singing the Namimori anthem on his shoulder.

Adelheid wore a green band over her shoulder and around her torso, with the name of the Environmental Committee stamped on it in bright white. She flicked her metal fans open and shut in an almost nervous manner, eyeing Hibari in particular.

Yukimura was almost certain that her experiences sparring with Aoshima were more than enough for her to disregard Adelheid for now.

"The Committee…" Yukimura muttered…

"We need…" Adelheid murmured…

"That money will be ours," Hibari said quietly to Hibird, who chirped his encouragement.

Haru cleared her throat at the microphone.

"As donated by the Chiavarone Group, the prize is sixty thousand yen in funds for their own respective Committees! Will it be the crowd's favorite, Hibari-san, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee? Or the scary Yukimura-iinchou of the Detention Committee? Or will it be the Environmental Committee's own beautiful Vice President Suzuki, desu? EXCITING desu! What an excellent way to start our Namigaku Athletic's Day, desu!"

The crowd agreed heartily, some high school students and even faculty already making monetary bets on the winner. Of course, almost the entire betting pile was on Hibari.

Tsuna stepped into the circle, black cloak flapping slightly. He held up the apple provided by the baking club, painted in an edible, sugar-based gold layer.

"For the sake of your Committees… whoever is holding this apple at the end of the designated fifteen minutes is the winner. This apple represents what the three of your Committees stand for. The precious pride and dignity of this school. Do well to protect it as you always have, and good luck." The kaichou tossed it high into the air, before walking calmly out of the ring. Tsuna was certainly more collected in front of the student body than he was in his office.

There were three rules to this game.

As the three rushed forward to catch the apple, the audience held their breaths for what was about to happen.

One- do not exit the circle.

The crowd went as close as they dared to the chalk outlines in anticipation.

Two- whoever had most of the apple at the end would win, measure down to the nearest half a gram. So splitting it with a competitor was a risky gamble.

Hibari stepped on Yukimura's shoulder to get a leg-up.

And three-

Yukimura pulled Hibari back down with a vengeance, landing him on the floor.

-the apple is not to be caught with hands or feet.

Yukimura lashed for the apple with her braid, a millisecond before Adelheid would have gotten it with her fans.

The other female participant growled and lunged for Yukimura, who tossed the apple back into the air as she moved in close to Adelheid and met her forehead with her own, sending the Vice Chairman flying back.

That was the main weakness of normal fan-wielders- when they rushed, they had to leave their arms at their sides for balance, and so had no way of stopping head-butts like the one Yukimura had perfected over the years against Aoshima.

Not that it worked against him anymore, of course.

Yukimura looked up to the sky to find the apple not where it should be. Hibari was standing to the side with it tucked in the crook of his elbow, tonfas in hand, smirking when Yukimura spotted him.

The two clashed as Adelheid gained her bearings in the background, the intelligent Environmental Committee member letting the others wear each other down so it would be easier for her to gain the apple later, when it counted. So far only two minutes had passed, so she would be wasting effort trying to take them both on.

Ten minutes in, and the two were still at it, not having slowed down at all, which was slightly worrying. Adelheid finally couldn't sit back and watch when the apple flew into the air, almost carelessly.

She leapt for it with her fans, and speared it on the end of one, closed. Triumph was only for a second, however, when Hibari and Yukimura rushed her from both sides the moment she landed.

Yukimura ripped the apple off the closed fan with her braid, grimacing as apple juice flew all over her hair.

"Do you _know_ how ridiculously difficult it is to wash my hair?"

"Then cut it. It violates the dress code." Hibari made a sound of discontentment when Yukimura dodged his tonfas with a nicely timed leap back, apple tucked under her chin.

"Out of _all_ the things in this ring that violate the school rules, you choose to pick on my _hair?_"

Adelheid tried to get the apple while the two were distracted, but only succeeded in tossing it into the air again and then becoming a step-stair for Yukimura to leap up for it.

Rubbing what Adelheid was sure was a footprint on her shoulder, she watched as the two scrapped for the apple yet _again_. Another two minutes had passed and there had been no progress.

Students on the sidelines seemed to be enjoying themselves, rooting for heir favorite, or simply who they had bet on. There were a large amount of male students rooting for Adelheid, and for the life of her the Vice Chairman didn't understand why.

There were next to no people cheering for Yukimura, and those that were, were most likely out-of-uniform Wardens.

When there was one minute left, Adelheid sighed and leapt into the fray. She expected that it would end as a brawl between herself and Hibari.

"Sorry, Yukimura, but the Environmental Committee really needs those funds. We do spend the most, you realize?"

Yukimura shrugged as she kneed Adelheid's elbow and made the Vice Chairman drop one fan, which Yukimura caught neatly. "The Detention Committee needs the funds to properly meet the rising detention demands. And we spend quite a lot as well, believe it or not. The Cat Room alone is maintained at over seven thousand yen a month."

"The Discipline Committee currently has its budget sitting at zero. I plan to remedy that, so prepare to be bitten to death, woman." Hibari knocked Adelheid's other fan out of her hand and kicked it away, dashing towards Yukimura.

The Environmental Committee Vice Chairman stared at the two as she got out her spare fans.

'Woman'?

Singular?

Had she… just been… _ignored?_

By _Hibari Kyouya_, the fighting freak that had pestered her endlessly for fights for the last two years?

Adelheid glanced at the clock. Thirty seconds.

Oh, it was on.

* * *

Reborn tensed and fire a shot at the water tank the moment he stepped out onto the roof.

"Ah, are you getting used to my presence again? That's no fun," A far-too-familiar voice chuckled.

"…What have I done to you to deserve you?" Reborn groaned, face in his hands.

"Don't be so rude, Reborn-sensei," the other man said cheerfully as he hopped down from the roof of the stairway, hands in the pockets of his tan trench coat. "I'm here to participate in the parents' events with Suzume."

"Then why are you on the roof, Seiji? Is there an event involving the stalking of the school counselor that I wasn't aware of?"

The yellow-eyed man chuckled, walking up to Reborn from behind and putting a chin on his shoulder. "I hope not. That would kind of spoil my originality."

"…Do you see nothing wrong with admitting that you're stalking me?"

"Hey. Better than chasing you through the streets of Paris at two in the morning with a vegetable knife, isn't it?"

"…Should I remind you who was chasing who?" Reborn growled, spinning on his heel to face this man that… irritated him so much.

There was mirth in Seiji's feline eyes. "Good memories, huh? Remember Budapest? Wasn't that a laugh?"

"You and I remember Budapest very differently." The fedora-donning man lowered said fedora in exasperation. "And why are you bringing all this up anyway? Are you not the one who wants to forget it all ever happened?" There was a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"Just because I'm leaving it behind doesn't mean I'm forgetting it, Reborn," Seiji replied gently. He smiled and turned to the doorway. "It's not like you to leave your emotions on the surface, my dear."

"Whose fault do you think that is?"

Seiji turned back to the hitman tutor school counselor, and smiled again. "The inheritance ceremony is soon, isn't it? You're stressed. I'll stay out of your hair."

There was a moment of silence as Seiji slowly made for the door, as if knowing he had to leave, but…

"Your leaving me alone... won't help _that_ much. Actually, you know that-"

"Don't say it, my dear Reborn." The hitman could hear the strained smile in the other's voice. He knew exactly how Seiji's face must've looked, facing away from him or not.

With that, Yukimura Seiji wandered down the stairs towards the oblivious, cheerful crowds in the courtyards and fields below.

* * *

Tsuna glared at Iemitsu.

"Why are you still in town? You're pushing off work onto Oregano and Turmeric again, aren't you?"

"Don't forget Basil. That kid is growing up to be quite the efficient worker," the blond man replied with a smile.

Tsuna put a hand to his forehead, lifting up his cloak to hide his exasperated face. Even if it was only for one activity, being tied to his father with a rope as thick as Yukimura's braid wasn't good for the kaichou's health.

A few lanes down, Suzume was finishing the knot that tied her right leg to Seiji's left, sighing. "Let's not push it today."

"Mm. We'd ruin the fun."

Another few lanes down, Hibari was beyond pissed. He glared at the man clad in red silks beside him and made surrounding parent-child pairs back away from his aura.

"Why."

"I was in town," the other replied calmly. "And this looked interesting. And you didn't have anyone else coming, did you?"

Hibari let out a growl.

On the sidelines, Gokudera was passed out on a bench, Bianchi holding an ice pack to his forehead, occasionally lifting it off when he woke to ask if he were okay, only for him to fall back unconscious and eventually roll off said bench.

"On your marks, desu! Get set! GO!"

Tsuna and Iemitsu jogged, rather half-heartedly on Tsuna's part. The Yukimura pair was going along at a steady running pace, though making no effort to be first.

Anyway, that place was taken by a red and black streak that passed them within the first few seconds.

"Was that…?" Seiji stared after the leading pair. "No, couldn't be… could it?"

A few minutes later, the winner was declared.

"Congratulations, desu, to Hibari Kyouya-san and his… his… uh…" Mukuro handed her a piece of paper. "His-"

A loud truck just happened to pass the school, horns blazing.

"-three-times-removed, Fon-san!"

"So it _was_ him," Seiji mused. He and Suzume broke their leg tie with a simultaneous jerk of their legs, the remains of the rope swept up by a nearby Environmental Committee member and thrown away as the father-daughter pair parted without another word.

"Aoshima. How are the preparations?"

The silver-haired Vice Chairman was not startled at all with Yukimura's sudden appearance at his side, next to the passed-out Gokudera. "I've given Frost and Icicle the spare keys, and left Hail and Sleet tomorrow's list. Glacier's agreed to come in on Sunday to maintain the rooms. And I've left our luggage in the Student Council office along with the others'."

"Good. That sounds like everything is settled."

Near the finish line of the recent parent-child three-legged race, Seiji greeted Fon.

"If you're in town you should have at least visited the restaurant. I know you're fond of Aragosta fra Diavolo with spaghetti," Seiji said to the Chinese man's back.

Son turned around and raised an eyebrow. "Yukimura Seiji. No wonder Reborn looked so agitated earlier."

"Agitated?"

"He was staring at his coffee mug with a killing aura and muttering about 'damn catty-eyes'."

"Ah. I see."

The two ducked as a tonfa flew from an irritated Hibari a few meters away at Fon's head.

"So how _has_ the 'Sapore Nostra' been doing, by the way?" Fon said, making conversation as the two walked away from his angry relative.

* * *

"Alright! Roll call!" Gokudera yelled out into the crowd of striped blazers. It was sunset, the sky a bright orange, and they were waiting on the side of the street for Dino to arrive.

"President!"

Tsuna raised a hand, other covering his yawning. He was seriously worn out from the Athletics day.

"Vie President! Oh, wait… Treasurer! No, hang on… Uh, Secretary!"

Chrome raised her hand with a quiet "Hai."

"Historian!"

Mukuro winced. "Right next to you, no need to shout."

"Social Chairperson!"

"Hai!" Kyoko said enthusiastically.

"Events Coordinator!"

"Hai desu!" Haru croaked. The day had taken a toll on her voice.

"Technology Committee!"

Shouichi raised his hand alone, since Spanner had been in Italy over the school holidays and wasn't back yet. "Hai."

"Disciplinary Committee!"

Kusakabe raised his hand. "Hai."

"Hn."

"Detention Committee!"

Yukimura and Aoshima raised their hands. "You'd think he'd realize we're right in front of him," Aoshima said curiously.

"Environmental Committee!"

Enma and Adelheid responded accordingly.

"Academic Committee! Oh, wait… Hang on, where's Kurokawa?"

"Right here, you idiot."

"Oi! Gah. Sports Committee!"

"Here, Hayato!" Yamamoto said cheerfully, next to Mochida.

"Arts Committee!"

Haru didn't bother to raise her hand again. "You know I'm here, and you're the Vice Chairman!"

"Only because M.M. had to go back to jail!" Gokudera hollered back.

"…You're taking on _another_ role, Hayato-kun?" Tsuna asked worriedly.

"It's okay, Jyuudaime! I can handle it!"

"Don't overtax yourself…"

A couple years back, Gokudera might've fallen to his knees at his Boss's concern for him, but at that moment he only smiled and nodded. "I promise I'll be fine. Next, the Head Class Officers! High School Division!"

"EXTREMELY HERE!"

"Middle School Division!"

"I do not understand how Hayato-nii is not in the list of top ten loudest Mafiosi…"

"Primary School Division!"

"Lambo-sama is right beside you, Bakadera."

"Why you little- Gah, not now. Cavallone's arrived."

"Yo, little bro! Your ride awaits!"

"…Dino-san, is that a… bus?"

"Yes. Why?"

Tsuna blinked. "When you said you'd provide transport, I thought you'd drive us there in separate cars or something…"

"Nonsense! It's an overnight trip! That would be so uncomfortable! There are beds on the second level so you can take turns sleeping. My little bro needs to be up early and fresh tomorrow, na?" Dino ruffled the smaller brunet's hair.

Romario and the subordinates were already loading their luggage in.

"Will you be riding with us, Cavallone?" Gokudera asked.

"Of course! I'd never pass up a chance to sleep with my cute little bro!"

There was silence.

"Wait… that came out wrong…"

"As awkward as ever, huh?"

Tsuna whipped around to see his favourite school counselor. "Reborn? What are you-"

"You think I'd honestly leave you alone for a whole weekend?"

"But-"

"With _Dino_ supervising you?"

"Reborn-"

"Are you _kidding _me?" the hitman finished, raising an eyebrow. He looked around at the striped blazers. "Anyway, there are nineteen of you. With me that makes a neat twenty representatives from Namimori Gakuen."

"…I give up. Dino-san, let's take that nap."

"Sure, Tsuna! Let's go choose a bed!"

Six piercing gazes were suddenly on the Bucking Bronco's back.

"Kufufu… Tsunayoshi, if he does anything remotely un-brotherly, I have no inconveniences with on-the-road corpse disposal."

"Boss…"

"Hn…"

"Maa, it _should_ be fine if your brothers, na? But Hayato probably thinks differently…"

"Lay a finger on Jyuudaime and I'll blow them all off. Individually."

"Be EXTREMELY careful to stay on the EXTREME other side of the bed, Cavallone!"

Tsuna sighed as he watched Lambo look at him curiously, wondering what the others were getting worked up about.

It was going to be a long trip.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I have five pages. FIVE PAGES. OF REVIEWS. I think If I died right now... well, I would still kind of mind, but I'd die somewhat happy. Thank you, again, to all the reviewers, follwoers, favouriters, and Lunakatsuma who needs a category of her own. **

**A word of warning for this chapter, reader-samas, and that is that I fear my end of year exams may have gotten to me a bit in terms of sanity. Otherwise, douzo.**

* * *

Yukimura stared out to the blackness of the night outside, fingers fidgeting with the end of her braid. She sighed and gave into her boredom, turning to her Vice Chairman returning from the bathroom.

"Aoshima. Here. Now."

"What-"

She yanked him down into the seat next to her and took out his hair tie with a flick of her hand, rolling it onto her wrist.

"What are you doing?"

"Braiding your hair." She had already started on one half, on the left, and was French braiding it down.

"…_Why?_"

"I'm bored, and there's not enough room here to spar with you."

The long-haired silver-head sighed, glancing back apprehensively every once in a while to inspect her handwork.

Dino and Tsuna had been woken from their nap earlier by Hibari kicking them both out of te second level so he could sleep. Kusakabe was standing guard somewhere.

Tsuna, Gokudera, and Kyoko were going over the things they should discuss with their sister schools on one row of seats. Dino was in the front talking with Romario and a couple subordinates as his right-hand drove.

Mukuro and Chrome were asleep in a corner, the latter resting her head on the former's shoulder. Ryohei was hanging around Kyoko and company, giving input on their discussion every so often, and Fuuta and Lambo were also asleep.

It seemed that most people were sleeping, talking, or listening to something through headphones- exhibit A: Shouichi- and so the noise in the bus was a low murmur.

So when Hibari awoke from his nap and descended the stairs with Kusakabe, everyone noticed.

The first thing the Detention Vice Chairman noticed as he descended the stairs was Aoshima, sitting with a pout, twin braids on his shoulders.

"Why, you look quite cute, Aoshima-san."

Silence.

An eye twitched.

Everyone burst into laughter.

Dino cleared his throat. "Oi! Everyone! Rest stop! Last one before we arrive, so everyone get down to stretch a bit. You too, Romario. Giuseppe will take on the next driving shift."

As everyone got down, Yukimura told Aoshima plainly that if he dared to undo her hard work, she'd demote him. When he nodded in resignation, Yukimura smiled and flicked her own braid behind her…

...Unintentionally whacking a small yellow puffball.

Hibari's eyes narrowed as Hibird returned to his finger with a little red lump on the top of its head.

"**Hibari… Hibari…**"

They stopped in a small fast food joint, most of the group just ordering drinks and small snacks.

After a couple minutes, Aoshima was walking up groggily to the refill machine with almost everyone's cups in his arms. He was tired from the Athletics day, like everyone else. And apparently the mutual gopher of everyone else as well.

"She doesn't stand up for me at all," he grumbled as he tried to remember what everyone had wanted.

Out of nowhere a large hand found itself on Aoshima's… rear.

"Cute girls like you should be wearing skirts. For a moment I thought you were a guy," someone behind him chuckled lowly, fingering one of his braids.

Silver eyes turned to face one burly man in his thirties. He seemed to be a truck driver from his nametag, wearing a flannel shirt and loose slacks with an uneven five o'clock shadow. An evil glint was visible in the older man's eyes.

There was a crack and the man yelped in pain.

Aoshima lifted up the unnaturally bent hand to the man's eye level.

"Your first guess was right."

"Is this person troubling you, Aoshima-san?"

A concerned Kusakabe appeared.

Aoshima handed the mutilated hand to Kusakabe. "There's a police station over by the information centre. Molestation of a minor. I'm sure you know what to do."

And then he returned to the table with the drinks, Kusakabe shrugging in the background and putting one hand into his pocket, the other dragging the offending man out the door.

* * *

"Aoshima. Sleep?"

"I thought you'd never ask. I'm dead on my feet here," the silver-eyed boy replied with a yawn, following Yukimura up the stairs.

"Are you sure it's wise to leave them to their own devices like that?"

Tsuna jumped a foot into the air at Reborn's voice at his ear. Then he relaxed as he thought about the subject of his query. "It'll be fine. Yukimura-san and Aoshima-san are childhood friends."

* * *

It was six AM in Bunkyo, Tokyo. Tsuna got out of the bus to survey the grand entrance of their sister school, before beckoning everyone to go ahead.

One pair took that rather enthusiastically.

...Alright, Hibari was running away from Yukimura, caught red-handed with the pair of scissors in his hand far too close to her braid.

Yukimura looked around the lavish hallways, hyper aware of anything black and fluttery. She heard a noise in one of the music rooms and kicked the door open.

A dramatic blond greeted her on the other side.

"Ah, my lady, you must be from one of our dear sister schools. Welcome to the Ouran High School Host-"

He was cut off abruptly by a hand to his face, pushing him aside.

"Where is that damn Hibari Kyouya?" she muttered to herself, killing aura overtaking the room.

"If- if you're looking for a Kyouya, here's one!" the blond offered one bespectacled friend to the demon-like killing aura. Said friend adjusted his glasses and peered at her before consulting the laptop in his hands.

Yukimura blinked and then shook her head, sighing. "He must have gone out into the courtyards…" with that she opened a window and leapt out of it.

A small blond in the corner hugged his bunny tightly. "That… that was… that was an AWESOME killing aura! Who is she, Kyo-chan?"

"If I am not mistaken, she is Yukimura Suzume, Chairman of the Namimori Gakuen Detention Committee. Said to be a sadistic disciplinarian who finds pleasure in the pain of the students. And _Hibari_ Kyouya would be the Chairman of the Namimori Gakuen Disciplinary Committee, described as the strongest fighter in the entire Namimori area. Together they have the destructive potential to level a city."

There was silence.

The dramatic blond concluded that…

"WE MUST APPEASE THE BEAST!"

In the frozen awkward silence after his declaration, the door opened again, revealing someone with silvery braids.

"Have you seen a girl with a long braid go through here?"

"My princess! You must also be from our sister-"

This time it was a foot.

* * *

"I'm so sorry, Suou-kun! Sometimes I really don't know what to do with them anymore…"

The blond waved away the apologies and grinned from under the ice pack on the upper left half of his face. "No love lost! And how many times have I asked you to call me Tamaki, Tsuna-kun?"

Yukimura and Hibari were sitting on the other sides of the room ignoring each other, and the rest of the Namigaku Student Council and the Ouran Host Club were spread about the Third Music Room.

Aoshima was glaring pointedly at Tsuna and Gokudera. "When you said 'sister school', why did you not find I fit to mention this is _Ouran Private_ that we're talking about? These people are notorious for being obnoxious rich kids!"

"Maa, maa, it's fine, isn't it? They seem nice."

Aoshima ripped out his hair ties and shook out his braids with a vengeance, no longer caring what Yukimura did to him. "That blond over there spent fifteen minutes trying to _seduce_ Suzume-iinchou. He's lucky he's still alive, because on top of that he still thinks I'm a _girl!_"

Yamamoto ran a friendly hand through Aoshima's now-curly locks, laughing. "I can see how, though! You'd make a pretty girl, Aoshima!"

The Vice Chairman flinched away from the Sports Chairman's hand and gave up, curling up into a ball on the couch and praying for the weekend to come to entities he didn't believe in.

"KYA! I'VE FOUND IT! The perfect damsel in distress type! Where did you get your hair done?"

At the feeling of someone he didn't know touching his head, Aoshima grabbed the girl's hand and reflexively twisted her into a body-lock position before looking up.

"What. Did. You. Call. Me?"

"Renge-san! This is why you shouldn't disturb people you don't know!" someone called over worriedly.

"Ahh, and you have such eye-catching contacts as well! You must tell me your secrets!"

Seeing it was a somewhat harmless Ouran student, Aoshima let go and got up, silver hair cascading down in wavy locks over his shoulders.

"I'm going for a walk."

Yukimura winced as he shut the door quietly.

"Aw. Poor Kiyoshi's had a bad night."

* * *

Ouran Private Academy had lavish living areas prepared for the visiting schools and their High School Host Club who would stay with them for the weekend. Unpacking had been a pleasantly domestic scene as suitcases were handled about and room arrangements were discussed cheerfully.

By the time they were to report for lunch, a couple of other schools had arrived, and the Namigaku Council had all had time to wash up and change into casual clothing, and peek around their wing.

Dino and Romario were staying downtown in Bunkyo. They'd be enjoying some tourism while Tsuna and the rest stayed in Ouran.

"Ah! Su- Tamaki-kun! I just wanted to thank you for your hospitality. Everything is excellent."

Tamaki positively beamed. "Oh, you're too kind, Tsuna-kun! Look forward to lunch as well! I heard that you've spent time in Italy, so you'll love the work of the world's second-best pasta chef!"

Unable to resist his nagging sense of curiosity, Tsuna said "Second?"

Ootori Kyouya appeared from behind his club leader. "When investigating the history of the world's best pasta chef, we found him to be too shady to serve at Ouran. And so, regrettably, we've had to make do with the second."

Trusting his Hyper Intuition, Tsuna decided not to let the contents of that conversation reach Reborn's ears.

"Ah, but that's still amazing! To hire such professional for a high school banquet an all."

Ootori smiled his business smile. "Surely not as amazing as you, Sawada-kaichou, and your Academy's infamous discipline system. You have the lowest rates of dropouts, failures, and delinquency in our entire guest list."

Considering who he was talking to, Tsuna's eyes widened. He cocked his head to the side. "I never knew that…" he looked up to smile at Ootori. "To be honest I actually thought our discipline system is kind of embarrassing… you've heard of our Discipline Committee, right?"

Ootori looked amused. "Yes. The 'other' Kyouya, correct?"

Tsuna seemed to wilt further in resignation. "Yeah… He's half the reason students listen to me at all…"

"I'm sure that's not all, Sawada-kaichou," Ootori said as an appropriate reply, looking down into his notebook and then his watch. "Ah. Please excuse me. It's about time for Midori Boys' to arrive."

Tsuna froze.

"Did you say …Midori? Boys' only?"

"Yes, they are also in Namimori, correct? I was slightly surprised when they didn't arrive along with you, but it seems you left a few hours earlier than they did…"

As the businesslike vice-leader of the Host Club left, Tsuna buried his face in his hands.

"This weekend's going to go on forever…"

* * *

Aoshima sat at the bay window in his and Yukimura's room. The latter was out hunting Hibari again, leaving the Vice Chairman to his own devices. Mobile in hand, Aoshima pondered something for a moment before going through his contacts list and selecting one, bringing the phone up to his ear.

Once it stopped ringing, Aoshima lifted the phone away from his ear as he always did when calling this person, to preserve his hearing.

"After all this time, you still have the same habits… the Stella kid's right, you _are_ the loudest Mafioso..."

* * *

"Aoshima? You look content."

The Vice Chairman picked a leaf out of his Chairman's hair and sat down beside her at the lunch table. "Would you prefer I be depressed?"

"No, no, just saying that was a quick transition, that's all."

"I called _that_ guy. Never fails to cheer me up."

Yukimura smiled, if with a little strain. "You're still in contact with… that guy?"

"Of course… not exactly like I can just cut relations with him, can I?"

"Guess not, after all," Yukimura replied.

"Beloved guests! Please enjoy this humble meal brought to you by Alessandro de la Rossi himself, one of the best pasta chefs in the world!"

Polite clapping echoed. Tsuna was startled to realize he was familiar with the name.

"De la Rossi-san? I didn't know you were in Japan!"

The chef blinked and looked over to the brunet kaichou. "_Decimo!_ _Buon giorno! _I did not realize you would be here! …Why _are_ you here?"

Upon the sight of a familiar face, Tsuna… kind of… accidentally… slipped into Italian. "_Buon giorno!_ _Ha,_ _Io vivo in Namimori, Giaponne, con mia madre, e io sono parte di Consiglio degli Studenti con i miei amici._"

"Ah, _Decimo-"_

Noticing other people staring at him, Tsuna put a finger to his lips. "Ah! Eh, _mi chiamo Tsunayoshi Sawada._ Sawada desu, De la Rossi-san." He looked pointedly around the room.

The chef cleared his throat. "_Bene_. Sawada-sama, it is a delight to see you here."

"Eheh…"

Ootori Kyouya looked interested. "Curious…"

Tamaki looked over. "Hm?"

"He has a Sicilian accent…"

* * *

Kurokawa Hana sat at the meeting table with very little idea why she was there.

"Oi, Gokudera. You and I both know I barely do anything for the Committee besides giving the occasional remedial lesson. Why am I here?"

Gokudera made his trademark, condescending 'Tch' sound and nodded to the stack of papers in front of him. "My notes on how we run our Academic Committee are there. You can explain them. I need to leave ten minutes in to attend the Treasurer's summit."

"Can't you come back afterwards?"

"You'll be done by the time I can get out of the treasurer's meeting, and besides, I've got the Arts summit after that."

Kurokawa whistled and picked up the papers. "Busy boy, aren't we?"

"Tch."

* * *

Tsuna was the only President that didn't have his Vice President beside him at his meeting. Many gave second glances at the empty chair behind the nameplate.

"Well, dear Presidents, leaders, representatives of your respective schools! We shall now commence our meeting. Firstly, introductions, if you please!" Tamaki said in his typical princely fashion.

A familiar face stood up. "My name is Fujiwara Kousuke, Student Council President of Midori Boys' Academy, and this is my Vice-Chairman, Kamiyama Hiroto. We hope to learn much from you all."

Tsuna breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that the other boy hadn't noticed him.

But then the introductions rolled on, and eventually…

"Ah, I'm Sawada Tsunayoshi from Namimori Gakuen. Yoroshi-"

Tsuna was interrupted by the Midori boys screaming in terror and hightailing it out of the room. He blinked. "Ano… should I go after them?"

Ootori coughed and shook his head. "It's quite alright, I will check with them personally later… though that was quite strange. Do you know them, Sawada-kaichou?"

"Eh… sort of…"

The other presidents all stared at Tsuna, and he was just thinking that things couldn't possibly get any worse.

Oh, poor Tsunayoshi. He had obviously never read a gag manga before.

* * *

Haninozuka Mitsukuni was prancing- I mean, happily bouncing- er, strolling cheerfully down the hallway when a couple of people clad in gold-striped black jackets crashed through the window.

The girl landed on her feet, while the boy was holding onto a pair of tonfas buried in an Impressionist piece. Their eyes met and in a flash they were sparring, the boy, oddly enough, with a grin on his face.

During this, the tall, stoic, omnipresent Morinozuka Takashi had been slowly pulling back his smaller cousin from the overwhelming blood thirst in the air, but for once the small blond didn't follow his suggestion. "Takashi! That looks fun! Let's join in!"

"Uh…"

Cue epic puppy eyes. "Please?..."

Mori looked back up to the brawling pair and rolled up his sleeves.

* * *

"…And so, in our school, the Arts Committee plays a big role in school events and productions. As our Committees are so big, almost half the student body is involved with at least one Committee, and this wide skill pool is why we can take on big-scale projects relatively easily."

The Arts leaders clapped politely. Gokudera took down a couple notes. "I see, bigger committees equal more skills…"

Haru cleared her throat and stood. "Miura Haru, Namimori Gakuen desu. Our Arts Committee's core members are less than a dozen, but when we have projects like productions and festivals, we have a large group of on-hand workers and specialists. Most of our students are more involved with clubs than committees, so we only make people meet when we have to." She looked down at her notes.

"This seems to be an efficient system, because we get more people signing up at the beginning of the year if they know they can join clubs at the same time. And this gives us a large range of on-call specialists as well. It's SUPER ORGANISED, desu!"

Clapping and murmuring note-takers sounded again. As Haru sat down, a startling dust cloud crashed through the wall.

The students stood in their seats, waiting for the dust to clear. But they could already hear signs of a fight.

Gokudera recognized Yukimura as she was flung out of the dust against a wall with a loud crack. He was about to go over to her, but she got up immediately and leapt back into the fray. It appeared that she had cracked the wall.

Gokudera coughed. "Everyone get out! This looks dangerous. I'll call someone and get things under control."

When an arm shot out of the dust cloud and yanked Gokudera into it, making him drop his phone, the Arts leaders saw it fit to leave the room squealing.

* * *

"Five windows, seven paintings, three statues, an _eighty million yen vase_, four walls, a fountain of prized koi, and a _grand piano_."

Yukimura and Hibari were knelt before the murderous aura of their beloved President, clothes in tatters, dripping blood on the floor.

"That was how much you _left intact_ on this floor."

The pair gulped.

Tsuna massaged his temples. "You massacred every hallway from here to the Host Club's dorms. You traumatized all the attending Arts leaders. You _hurt_ people from Tamaki-kun's club!"

The two cowered.

"What do you think I should do with you?" Tsuna asked softly.

Neither dared to speak. The silence in the room was deafening.

Tamaki cautiously inched his way across the music room. "Well, Tsuna-kun, don't be too mad, we have plenty of money to spare. And my own club members were involved as well, and we're hosting you after all, so we can easily cover the costs…" Tamaki was pulled aside by Mukuro.

"Kufufu… it's best to let him do his thing when he gets like this… For now you may negotiate the incurred costs with Gokudera. Tsunayoshi may not be safe to talk to for another few hours."

"Well, Yukimura-san? Are you not the princess of punishment? What do you suggest for so grave a crime?"

Yukimura swallowed."In Namigaku, such damage, even from Student Council members, would be punished by a week or more with the Cat Room, and most likely a suspension to be served in the Detention Centre. But seeing as such a long-winded punishment is inappropriate here, I suggest a condensed version."

"Which is?"

"Well… Do we have access to a pond and perhaps some stray cats?"

Aoshima's eyes widened. "Suzume-iinchou! That's far too harsh!"

Tsuna looked up at Aoshima's horrified face and then back at Yukimura and Hibari. "It seems that will do. You are a loyal Councilwoman, Yukimura-san, to even punish yourself."

"I am the Detention Chairman. I punish everyone with fairness and no mercy, including myself."

Hibari saw the look in her eyes and shuddered.

Tamaki looked worried, while Ootori looked… well, how else would he look? He was on the phone ordering for the main pond to be cleared and four dozen cats to be delivered from the local pound with an amused smirk on his face.

* * *

At dinner, The Hitachiin twins looked out curiously onto the empty pond from the window behind their seats. "Oi, Kaoru, is it just the sunset or is the water kind of tinted pink?"

"I dunno… I swear the lilies were white this morning though… are there such things as red water lilies?"

"Never seen any that shade before… probably another expensive import."

Tsuna was sitting contentedly at the head of his table, two seats conspicuously empty. All others but Reborn seemed a tad concerned.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you so much for coming all the way here to Ouran Academy! I'm sure you're all tired from your respective meetings all day, so now is the time to relax and unwind with some nice food and light wine. Enjoy!"

"Kufu, Suou-kun really is a natural charm, isn't he?" Mukuro commented to Chrome, who nodded with a blush.

Aoshima and Kusakabe were worried for their Chairmen, but eventually shrugged it off.

Tsuna sighed. He could finally relax. The spring green salad was an inch from his mouth when the doors slammed open.

"VOOOOOOIIII!"


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I've found that as I was writing this chapter, reviewers, you actually gave me some interesting ideas and sparked inspiration. So thank you. Also a great big fat thank you to all the consistent reviewers- such as Lunakatsuma, Lexie-chan94 and Kanako Arichi just to name a few. You and all and any reviewers, followers, and favouriters, really, are much appreciated. **

**Anywho- onwards, reader-samas, and beware of borderline crack. **

* * *

Hibari glared at her as the panicking nurses tried to staunch all his bleeding. He was staining the sheets, and yet, all he could muster any energy at was one Yukimura Suzume.

"You. You are pure evil."

"Aa."

"Incarnate."

"Agreed."

"…Where do you even _come up_ with these things?"

"A rather messed up place called my inner sadistic streak."

There was silence.

"Inner? As in not expressed? I highly doubt that."

Yukimura turned to frown at Hibari. "Is it just me, or do the painkillers make you more talkative?"

"I can't tell. But then again, I also can't tell where my feet are."

* * *

"VOOOOOOOOOOOIIII!" the long-haired man repeated, waving a sharp-looking sword around. He was, for some reason, drenched from head to toe, making a squelching sound with each step he took. "WHERE'S MY BASTARD OF A COUSIN?"

A fork buried itself in the wall inches from Squalo's face.

The hall was shocked to find Aoshima standing, metal fans opened, each tip a deadly sharp blade. Adelheid in particular was fascinated as he held the heavy-looking, oversized fans with ease, his wrists completely supporting their weight.

But what perhaps was more shocking for those that knew Aoshima personally were his next words.

"Yo, BLIND JACKASS. I'M OVER HERE!"

"VOOOII! WHO'D YOU CALL BLIND?"

Tsuna sighed, face in his hand. "That's _not_ the issue with what he just said."

Aoshima rushed at the other silver-haired man and met the flat of his sword with a foot, sending them both flying out the door. Sounds of metal clashing outside were all that was heard in the ensuing silence.

Ootori blinked. "How did he get past security?"

Tsuna just about died.

"_That's not the issue here either!"_

* * *

"Yukimura-san! Aoshima-san's-"

Kusakabe stopped abruptly at the scene before him.

Yukimura was sitting propped up by pillows on her infirmary bed, Hibari's being empty.

As the Disciplinary Chairman was lying in her lap, both laughing hysterically at something about pool hygiene.

Kusakabe blinked and furrowed his eyebrows, and walked over to the unmanned nurse's desk to read the report on what the two had been treated with.

At the section about anesthesia, the Vice Chairman's eyebrows disappeared under his hair.

"Dear kami-sama," he muttered, putting the report back in its pace and turning back to face the two hysterical chairmen.

"Oh! It's Kusakabe-chin! Oi, Kusakabe-chin, do you know why I always mention pineapples when I pretend to threaten people?"

That had been _pretend?_ "Uh, why?"

"I'm allergic to pineapples! There's no way I could actually do any of the stuff I say!" And with that the two broke into hysterical laughter again, leaving a sweat-dropping Kusakabe to slowly back out of the room.

"Wait, wait, Tetsuya." Was Hibari _smiling? _"You know why I always tell people 'I'll bite you to death'?" He did a bad impression of a clawing dog, giggling. Oh god, Hibari Kyouya was _giggling_.

"Er… why?"

"The first time I fought someone, I won by biting their-"

Kusakabe ran out of the room, leaving the hysterical laughter echoing in the hallway behind him.

Some things were better left unknown.

* * *

"I give up. Who was I kidding? Since the day you showed up in my house, my peaceful days were over." Tsuna buried his face in Reborn's shoulder, which the man patted while chuckling.

In the background, the dining hall was in chaos.

Squalo had brought the entire Varia elite team.

Yah.

It was going down.

* * *

The time was about one-thirty in the morning, and Tsuna was finally allowed to return to his room. The Varia had been charged for their damages, much to Mammon's displeasure, and then shooed back out into town, Squalo mentioning something about visiting the Bucking Bronco next.

Thankfully, during all of this, Tsuna had been able to masquerade that he had no idea what was going on. Aoshima had been thoroughly interrogated and came out clean- as expected of the Detention Vice Chairman, known to be a master of interrogation himself.

Tsuna buried his face into his pillow and moaned into it, Reborn exiting the bathroom in the background. He was already on the phone, and seemed to be annoyed as well.

"Forget that! If _you_ come here I can't guarantee I won't blow your head off!" Reborn's face then went deep red as the other person replied. "YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN!"

Tsuna looked up in surprise. "What's Seiji-san doing calling so late?"

"How-"

"He's the only person that can make you yell like an embarrassed tsundere schoolgirl denying that she has a crush," Tsuna replied in one breath.

Perhaps it was sleep deprivation addling the brunet's judgment, because five minutes later Reborn was sitting on Tsuna's back on the ground, still yelling down the phone.

"What business do you have here anyway? …Dessert chef? Since when do you know how to make desserts? _No_ I don't want to try your cookies! …Hah? Find it yourself! I'm not your parent!"

A bit of silence ensued on Reborn's end. Tsuna sighed, realizing he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon, and so dragging his suitcase over and rummaging in it for a book or something.

"No, just seeing your face makes me want to massacre a small country. I'll pass." More silence. "But you might as well greet your daughter if you're going to be here… Just don't blame me if I try to kill you on sight." Was that a pout? Reborn started twirling Tsuna's hair in his fingers.

"For some reason I feel perverted listening to this…" the boy muttered.

"Wait! Uh… Fine, what time do you arrive tomorrow?" Reborn spluttered at the answer. "What the hell are you going to do here so early? Sorbet? Are you _kidding_ me?"

As Reborn continued to chat with Seiji as the man on the other line packed and started towards the train station, wearing an earpiece, Tsuna sighed and opened up the manga he had brought along.

"…Who the hell would miss you? It's only been a day!"

The brunet shifted uncomfortably under Reborn's weight, and grumbled "Is this what they call separation anxiety?

Tsuna would wake up the next morning with a giant headache and no idea why.

* * *

Mukuro sat up and yawned, cracking his back. It was the middle of the night, but he had been woken up by nature calling him to the bathroom. He slid his feet into a pair of slippers and eased himself out the door, careful not to wake Chrome sleeping on the other side of the divider.

Shuffling down the hallway, the sleepy Mist Guardian ran a hand through his hair and continued to yawn, blinking his eyes sleepily. Going over the events of the day in his head, he could conclude that things could have gone a lot worse. At least the Yukimura-Hibari pair had kept to one floor, and the Varia hadn't made too much fuss about paying for the dining hall repairs.

His summit meeting with the other school Historians had been boring. None of the other Historians had to deal with a school quite like Namigaku, where something happened every day. Well, the Midori boy probably had similar experiences, but he had been too busy cowering away from Mukuro and whimpering to contribute anything fruitful.

The hallways were dark and admittedly creepy, but that suited Mukuro just fine. The shadows of the velvet curtains and the reflections of the moon on the marble floors felt regal and dignified- which the illusionist felt embodied himself pretty well. He and the building got along fine.

It was perhaps the two slender figures wrapped up in bandages that made him scream like a little girl.

In a flash a hand was over his mouth, and he realized it was familiar.

"Hibari _Kyouya_, that is _not_ funny," Mukuro hissed.

"You almost woke everyone," the other wrapped-up figure scolded, pulling down some of the bandages around her face. It was Yukimura. "What are you doing up, anyway?"

"I should be asking you two that. You almost gave me a heart attack. What's with that get-up?"

Hibari pulled down the bandages around his face as well. "Hn. After the anesthesia wore off, our wounds wouldn't stop bleeding and re-opening whenever we moved."

Yukimura coughed. "So they forcefully stripped us down and wrapped us up this way."

"Huh. Isn't that some form of harassment?"

The two shrugged in indifference. "Our clothes and weapons were sent to our rooms, but we have only now been discharged. So, if you will excuse us, pineapple herbivore…"

"Oh. So that's why you haven't attacked me yet."

"…Do you want me to?"

Mukuro blinked and raised his hands into the air, shuffling around them to continue down the hallway. "I'm good for today. Nice talking to you…. Not really." He went off at a sprint, miraculously not colliding with anything.

* * *

The sky outside was a twinkling indigo, only beginning to prepare for the day. In the Third Music Room at Ouran Academy, the lights were already on.

Mammon harrumphed as he dropped the suitcase on the desk, proceeding to lean on it with his back to the bespectacled boy. "I couldn't be bothered trying to contact our Swiss account for such a small sum. These are the largest bills I had on me."

Ootori Kyouya raised an eyebrow at the packets of one-hundred bills in Russian rubles, fingering the pink and gold, and sighing. "Could you not have just deposited this into our account? You have the number, do you not?"

The hooded figure smirked under his cowl. "Who do you think we are, Ootori Kyouya? Your account doesn't accept anonymous deposits."

The boy stood, closing the case and straightening his uniform. "Very well. I'll just have to send Kaoru into town later today." Ootori wandered over to the coffee table and poured himself a cup of tea. "Do you like Sencha?"

Mammon sighed, seating himself down across from the dark-haired high school student. "I prefer my tea milky, but I guess it can't be helped. I hear that your exchange in Venice went well?"

* * *

"Ever since Suzume got involved with the Student Council, I haven't been able to get away from you," Reborn muttered. He flagged down a taxi and threw in Seiji's meager luggage, following it in.

"You mean ever since we've met again, you can't stand parting from me?"

A punch narrowly missed the side of the yellow-eyed man's head. He sighed. "Denial isn't cute, Reborn."

"It's too early to deal with you," the taller man sighed, giving the address of the Academy to the driver, putting up the soundproof divider and leaning back, eyes darting around the insides of the cab in a nervous habit. In reality he hadn't needed to use his eyes to detect threats for decades. "How did you get hired, anyhow?"

Seiji beamed like the Cheshire cat. "Saa, it's lonely at home without Suzu. Shou's all the way in Tokyo City and I don't even want to know where Shin is," he reasoned.

Reborn let out a softly growling sigh and pulled his fedora down over his eyes. "You know, after spending so much time as an infant, I would really rather have my sleep when I can. It took me an hour and a half to get down here." This meant that he got approximately three or so hours of sleep.

Seiji resisted the urge to smile as Reborn yawned. He ran a hand into the other's hair and pulled him down onto his lap, taking off the fedora and laying it on the man's face. Reborn in his adult form didn't like people watching him when he slept- it was part of the reason he always fell asleep after Tsuna once the Arcobaleno curse was lifted. Seiji kept a hand on the hitman's chest, holding him down, while the other played absently with his hair.

"…If you let go of me in the next five seconds, I'll try not to kill you."

"Saa, no one's watching. You said an hour and a half, right?"

There was a clicking sound as a gun's safety went off, and Seiji laughed.

* * *

"…You know, Yukimura-san, sometimes I honestly fear for your life."

Seiji waved off Aoshima's worries as Suzume threw him an ice pack for the shoe-shaped red patch on his face. "I got off pretty light this time, actually. And before you ask about me, what happened, Suzu?"

The girl had put on her uniform back over her bandages, but it was awkward and uncomfortable. Her bandaged limbs and face had still gotten quite a bit of attention at the breakfast table, and she was more irritable for it.

"She and Hibari destroyed a good part of the building and got punished. But never mind that- I never knew that you do desserts as well, Yukimura-san."

"Yeah, well, he knows how to do a lot of things normal people aren't supposed to know how to do, let alone pasta chefs. Dessert-making is relatively normal," Yukimura muttered, picking gauze strands out of her braid.

* * *

"Oh, you're staying for dinner? Well that's okay- OF COURSE THAT'S NOT FINE!"

Xanxus blinked at the wide eyes of his supposed superior, the rest of the Varia officers standing around, smiling, chatting or 'Ushishi-ing'.

Tsuna put a palm to his face. "Where are you going to stay?"

"We're camped out in the courtyard," Levi replied.

"Isn't this gate-crashing?"

"Ootori offered invitations," Mammon said simply.

"It's a formal ball and banquet!"

"Voi. We're not exactly small fry where you and I come from. We carry formal clothes with us for meetings and infiltrating parties."

Tsuna heard people starting to return from the morning's social activities, and threw his hands in the air, walking away from the Varia. "I give up. But I'm not taking responsibility for you here. I have enough to deal with," he added in a mutter.

* * *

"VOI! DAMN BASTARD COUSIN! LET'S GO AGAIN!

"ONE OF THESE DAMN DAYS I'M GOING TO BE FRIGGIN' DEAF BECAUSE OF YOU!"

"STOP BEING A PANSY AND GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE! I HAVEN'T FINISHED WITH YOU FROM LAST NIGHT!"

"DAMMIT, DID I NOT SAY I HAVE BUSINESS HERE? I HAVEN'T GOT THE FREAKIN' TIME TO PLAY WITH YOU!"

"VOIIIII! YOU _WANTING_ ME TO GET SERIOUS?"

"BRING IT! I'M TIRED OF YOU CALLING ME OUT WHENEVER YOU LIKE IT! WE'LL SETTLE THIS!"

Aoshima and Squalo continued to bicker at a megaphone volume, Squalo down in the courtyard with his comrades lazing about, Aoshima trying to finish paperwork up in his and Yukimura's room on the balcony.

Seiji exited the bathroom, ready to head to the kitchen to check on his sorbet, and peered down curiously at the one yelling at Aoshima.

"Hey, Kiyoshi. Isn't that the Varia?"

Aoshima stopped yelling abruptly to answer the man. "Yes, why?

Seiji blinked as Levi stood, eyes widening, finger lifting to point at him. "Uh… oh."

Xanxus raised an eyebrow at him.

Levi looked furious. "YOU!"

"Yes, me. Me who thinks they should be leaving now. Seeya."

Seiji ran back into the room, Levi running into the building to pursue him. Xanxus got up from his seat and started walking after him.

Suzume watched her father leave in disbelief and sighed.

"I swear he's made enemies with every dangerous person from here to Berlin and back."

* * *

Fujioka Haruhi was walking down the hallway with a list in her hand, having been tasked to visit a select few guests and, for lack of a better term, give them the Ouran Host Club 'experience'. She was about to knock on the door of one such guest, from Namimori Gakuen, when the door burst open and a man streaked out of it.

From the other end of the hallway, a tall mustached man dressed completely in black lunged after the running figure, only to be met by another tall, black-clad man.

The escaping one- wasn't that one of the chefs? The chef leapt neatly over the man with feathers in his hair, using his head as a springboard.

"HOW DARE YOU DO THAT TO BOSS! I'LL BARBECUE YOU!"

Haruhi blinked as they disappeared around the corner, and shrugged.

"Not any worse than the twins when they're fighting…"

* * *

Lambo was a good boy.

He cleaned up after himself, did what Tsuna-nii told him too- heck, he had even joined the darned Student Council because his beloved Tsuna-nii had wanted him to. Reborn had said so.

As far as he knew, ever since he had started school, Lambo had tried his hardest to be nice and useful- he had only cried fourteen times in the last three months!

So he didn't understand what he had done to deserve being picked up by a stranger and held hostage in a closet with stinky mothballs and a large piece of tape over his mouth.

"Alright. With this we'll show those damn Namigaku bastards. I'm a first son, dammit! They're not going to mess with me so easily!"

"Oi… is this a good idea? I mean, if they get seriously angry…"

"Strength in numbers, Masaru! You've contacted them, haven't you?"

"Aa… this Academy's lower ranks are filled with Yakuza…"

See? We'll be fine. Who do those Namigaku brats think they are, anyway? Messing with us… no matter how harshly they punish people, they're nowhere near our level, right?"

"Actually… I'm pretty sure that was worse than any of the punishments in my Family…"

"...Mine too…"

"Yeah, I've never seen any of that before…"

"You guys shut up! Geez, you're all a bunch of wimps. We're the Underworld, dammit! And we're proud! Now give me an 'Ossu'!"

"_Ossu…_"

"Louder!"

"But then we'll be heard!"

"Uh… fine. Whisper-yell."

"_Ossu!..."_

* * *

"Kyouya! Kyouya, I heard that you've gotten hurt!"

Ootori Kyouya looked up in surprise at the approaching blond, who rushed past him to tackle Hibari Kyouya seated on the other side of the music room, who had been talking idly with Mori. Alright, it had been more of an exchange of grunts, but that's the language of men, is it not?

"Are you alright? Does it hurt? Oh, you should have told me! Kyouya!" the blond protested as Hibari pushed him away by the face with a hand, his arms not long enough to reach the raven-head, waving frantically in the air.

Ootori's eye twitched. "That is irritatingly familiar," he muttered to Kaoru beside him.

The redhead grinned as he heard another pair of thundering footsteps.

"Well, here comes your one."

"KYOUYA! YOU'RE HURT? SINCE WHEN?"


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I seem to have amassed a lot of reviews. As in A LOT. As in DANGEROUS a lot. You remember that whole flushed in the face thing I do when I get reviews? Yeah... I think I'm developing a heart condition. (Lunakatsuma, Kanako Arichi, Lexie-chan94 and the rest, in other words, you're bad for my health.)**

**Enjoy this or covering me in tomatoes, reader-samas.**

* * *

"…Aoshima. I am not wearing this."

The Vice-Chairman sighed as he straightened his own satin tie in front of the bathroom mirror. "It's better than an evening gown, isn't it? You're lucky that they're allowing traditional clothes as well- Ouran Academy, especially it's Host Club, is known to prefer Western fashions."

Aoshima turned to face where Yukimura had her arms crossed, glaring at the outfit laid out on her bed. He himself was dressed in a classic black suit with a silver tie and grey accents, playing off his own natural pale coloring. His waist-length hair, with some help from Yukimura, had been gathered near the end in a loose braid, tied with a white satin ribbon- in short; he would fit in with the obnoxiously grandiose Ouran-style ball perfectly.

Yukimura, on the other hand, had refused to wear anything faintly resembling a ball gown. While Kyoko and Haru had had fun with finding their perfect dresses, Yukimura had spent most of the week before the visit rejecting every option that Aoshima brought to her until he gave up and just chose something on his own.

"It was either this or the cocktail dress. We've got to leave in twenty minutes, so suck it up."

"Are you trying to make me look like some kind of Yakuza princess?"

Aoshima raised an eyebrow. "Well, with your background, it's not as far from the truth as it would be for most people."

Grabbing the offensive grey and white garment, the ridiculous shoes, and the box containing completely unnecessary hairpieces to go with the outfit, Yukimura huffed and stormed into the bathroom and locked the door.

"Come out when you need my help," Aoshima called, settling himself on the edge of his bed and flipping through a guide to Italian grammar.

* * *

"Hayato-kun, have you found Lambo?"

Gokudera frowned and shook his head. "Where'd the stupid cow go at a time like this? Fuuta says that his suit is still in their room."

Tsuna looked over to his right-hand and found the sight bittersweet. Gokudera was beginning to resemble more and more the ten-years-later Storm Guardian that Tsuna had met for those brief moments so many months ago. It didn't help any that he was wearing a red shirt underneath his suit, and had grown about one of Tsuna's hand widths in the last year.

Dispelling the reminiscent thoughts of the previous future, Tsuna fiddled with his sleeve nervously as he thought about where his Lightning Guardian could have gone off to. It was no longer normal for the boy to wander off during important occasions, and while the Ouran campus was vast, the kid actually had a better sense of direction than most gave him credit for.

Tsuna's phone buzzed, and he hastily answered the incoming call. "Takeshi?" His shoulders slumped. "Nothing either? Ah, mou, where is he!"

Gokudera put away his own phone as Tsuna ended the call. "I got a text from Ryohei- nothing on his end either."

At that moment, Tsuna stiffened as he sensed the traces of a killing aura.

* * *

The cooks backed away to the edges of the kitchen as the black aura stormed out of the room. Even without being told, they were smart enough to figure out that their dessert chef was a bit more than any ordinary chef.

Out in the hallways, the wiser ones subconsciously retreated to their rooms, while others continued to chat excitedly about the upcoming ball all over the place, as Yukimura Seiji prepared to go on a rampage.

* * *

Suou Tamaki was in a very good mood. The weekend had been fun with so many new friends around, and the finale- the ball and banquet- was coming along perfectly. Straightening the jacket of his lilac suit, he hummed as he walked down the deserted hallway towards the Third Music Room.

He stopped abruptly in his tracks when a closet door was flung open and a bound and gagged little boy was thrown out along with a basket of lemons, before the door was abruptly closed again and the sounds of a fight rang out in screams of pain and begging for mercy, along with fleshy thumps and banging on the walls.

Tamaki blinked at the boy, who blinked his big green eyes back. The boy proceeded to undo his own bindings as if he had practiced doing so before and pulled out his gag, smacking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "Yare yare… Tsuna-nii's going to be mad."

"Ah! You're one of Tsuna-kun's!"

"Ah. You're the… Host Club King, was it?"

"Yes, yes my darling! It seems that you got lost and tangled into some rope and cloth! You poor thing!"

Lambo sighed as the blond picked him up and rubbed their cheeks together, lamenting on the kid's poor fortune. How naïve could this damn rich kid be?

"Hey, don't those lemons belong to the kitchen? Come then, child! We'll return the lemons and then return you to Tsuna-kun."

The Lightning Guardian sighed again, seeing he would get nowhere with the King. So in order to drag the blond away from the ever-increasing volume of the fight going on in the storage closet, he opened his eyes as wide as he could, mussed up his hair a little, and smiled.

"Hai, onii-chan!" Lambo laughed in a cutesy high voice.

Tamaki stopped abruptly, staring at Lambo who suddenly seemed to be sparkling.

"You're… you're… YOU'RE SO CUTE!"

Cue more cheek-rubbing.

* * *

"OUT OF MY WAY!"

Poor Mukuro went flying into a wall as the ball of angry Vongola Decimo stormed down the hallway, cloak fluttering after him, with the biggest killer aura that the illusionist had seen on his boss in a long time.

Rubbing his cheek where it had met a grandly framed Kahlo, the Historian picked himself and his coat-tailed suit up from the ground, dusting himself off, and followed the infamous Five Foot Fury down the hall, figuring he should probably do some damage control.

On his way scurrying after the angry Student Council President on the warpath, Mukuro ran into Chrome. Blinking, glancing at the progressing black aura down the hall, and then back at Chrome, he advised her to go back to their room and sit tight for a while until he came to get her. There were some things that she probably didn't want to see.

A little way down the hallway, a closet was flung open and a limp body landed on the brunet's face. Throwing the body aside, he glared into the closet.

"They kidnapped Lambo. What'd they do to you?"

"They stole my ingredients."

"Half-half?"

"Sure."

With that, the closet door closed again, and Mukuro cringed at the sounds of things snapping.

* * *

"There seem to be a lot of rampages going on," Aoshima commented as he helped Yukimura into her shoes.

"Rampages?"

"Mm. Rumors of demonic auras and brutal murder have been floating around the hallways."

Yukimura sighed as Aoshima helped her get on her feet. "It's probably related to us somehow. I'll go take a look before Ouran's little party starts."

"Should I accompany you?"

Yukimura blinked, looked down at her get-up, and sighed. "You probably should."

* * *

Mukuro glanced at his watch. It had been over fifteen minutes. How many people were in that tiny closet?

Then again, considering it was Ouran, perhaps the closet wasn't exactly tiny…

Yukimura and Aoshima appeared around the corner, and the Historian had to do a double take.

Elegant grey fabric, swirling white patterns- was that a pair of birds in her hair?

"Yukimura-san… is that… a kimono?"

Her eye twitched, shuffling uncomfortably in her Geta sandals. Long sleeves were almost wiping the floor, her braid held in a loop in her left hand.

"What's going on here?"

"Tamaki found Lambo and gave him back to Tsunayoshi, who then found out that his dear Lightning Guardian had been kidnapped by a bunch of Midori hooligans. It seems that they haven't learnt their lesson, so he's teaching it to them."

At a loud metallic ring and a yell, Yukimura put a palm to her face. "And why is my father in there as well?"

"According to Chrome, he found out that the same hooligans that had kidnapped Lambo also took some lemons from the kitchen to interrogate the sweet-toothed cow child with."

"Ah… he said something about using lemons as a main ingredient tonight… Well, we can't do anything here, can we, Aoshima?"

"Mn. Seiji-san should really not be messed with when it comes to his kitchen, and Sawada-kaichou… well, Rokudo-san, you're the one who warned us at the beginning of the year of his wrath."

Yukimura detached herself from Aoshima's arm and leaned against the wall, swinging her braid lazily. "I guess the only thing we can do is sit and wait for them to finish so we can clean up."

"Clean up?" Mukuro furrowed his eyebrows.

From the closet there was a metallic clang, a scream, and then a sickly crunch.

"From what we're hearing, do you seriously think that they're leaving the insides of that closet spotless?"

Her question was answered as a red stain started spreading out from underneath the door.

Aoshima chuckled at Mukuro's somewhat terrified raised eyebrow.

"And you thought our Wardens were scary... geez."

* * *

Finally, Reborn arrived on the scene. He opened the door, reached in, and dragged out one Yukimura Seiji holding a baking pan filled with squashed tomatoes, dripping scarlet liquid, and a broken potato masher.

Only this Yukimura Seiji was a little different than what the Namigaku crew was used to seeing. Even Mukuro backed off a little at the deadly grin that Yukimura flashed at the hitman counselor.

"Reborn… You're interrupting my fun…" His pupils were wide. His voice was low and dangerous, slow, menacing like an anaconda.

Reborn simply smirked. "Okaeri, my Principe dell'Inverno."

* * *

With Yukimura Suzume and Aoshima cleaning up in the background, Tsuna, Mukuro, and Reborn talked. Yukimura Seiji had returned to the kitchens.

"Il Principe dell'Inverno… The way I was known as the Strongest Hitman, he was known as the Prince of Winter. I haven't seen that face of his for too long… it brings back memories."

Tsuna coughed. "Memories?"

Reborn sighed, looking up to the high ceilings, obviously prepared to reminisce. "I don't mean to sound clichéd, but in our day we were truly unstoppable. For those few short years that we got to work together, the world was held in our palms."

Tsuna and Mukuro sat down on the floor on either side of him, listening intently. Knowing Reborn, there would be no retelling.

"He was a little less of a cheerful idiot back then, but not by much. But whenever we got into a fight, whenever he got serious, he got… really serious. He turned into the silent, merciful winter, delivering death and ruin by the grace of his nature."

The hitman chuckled.

"The day that we first met, when we were cornered by those dozens of Families… I swear that violence has never been more beautiful. He said afterwards that it was because he had had something to protect. As if I needed to hear that…"

Leon wandered down onto Reborn's hand, tongue flicking out to his trigger finger in comfort.

"After that we didn't even breathe separately for a good two years. Those years were priceless. He was everything I needed in this world."

Mukuro didn't know what to do with this sudden expression of emotion. Arcobaleno or not, Reborn wasn't exactly the type to fawn over the past.

"And then I got the call to be part of Il Prescelte Sette. I trust you know what that was all about. But I was reluctant. We both shared suspicions about the whole thing, but he was adamant that I should at least meet the other six."

Tsuna shifted uncomfortably.

"I didn't want to leave him. I wanted him to at least come with me. He… I think he must have known something about what I was supposed to go do, because he started pushing me away after I told him that. The final straw was when he joined an enemy Family to the Vongola that I was meant to eliminate."

Silence.

"_Idiota._" Reborn laughed drily. "As if I could put a bullet through _him_."

"I was so angry that I decided to leave for the damned meeting, and then… you know what happened after that." He let out a breath.

The hallway was eerily silent, with only the faint sounds of Yukimura and Aoshima trying to get the stains out of the closet's carpet to be heard.

"I'll never forgive that damn bastard," Reborn spat, before leaving. "Not after making me go through all of that."

'_Reborn, was it? Call me Seiji. Are you hurt?'_

* * *

"VOOIII! DAMN BOSS! WHERE THE HELL'S YOUR SUIT?"

A wineglass was thrown. "Trash! You're talking like I know!"

"Bel-senpai said he saw Lussuria-san washing something earlier…"

"Hah? Why the hell would-"

"Boss! I've got your suit ready!"

"Why the hell did you- WHY THE HELL IS IT PINK?"

"Mou, I wasn't used to these washing machines, so I must've put in the wrong powders… But don't you think it looks lovely, Boss?"

"THE HELL I DO! Yo, shark trash. Lend me one of yours. You have two, don't you?"

"Aa, Lussuria finished patching up my old one last month. Hang on… here."

Silence.

"Oh, wait… I'm a smaller size."

"DAMMIT, SHARK TRASH! EAT MORE MEAT! YOU WANT ME TO GET REPORTED FOR SUBORDINATE NEGLECT?"

"VOOII! IS THERE EVEN SUCH A THING?"

"Ushishi… since when does the boss care about things like that? Oh, I know… Captain, you've got something going on behind the scenes, don't you? And your _partner_ is getting all concerned…"

A shot was fired.

"BELPHEGOR! Don't you dare insinuate such things involving the Boss! Boss would never involve himself with the likes of _him!_"

"Ushi… So it's you, then, Levi? Not that we didn't see that coming…"

Mammon sighed, pulling down his cowl. "This must be how Ootori feels every day…"

* * *

Finally, the beginning of the banquet arrived. The guests wandered around and found their tables- one table for each represented school.

Yukimura's jaw dropped.

Hibari's eye twitched.

There was a black aura in the air as the two kimono-clad Chairmen glared at each other.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No, my friend, _you_ have got to be kidding _me_. I'm not even wearing this voluntarily."

Hibari was wearing a kimono with a color scheme exactly matching Yukimura's- only several shades darker.

"Now we look like we freakin' match."

"There will be herbivores who might even mistake us for a couple."

"I knew I should have just skipped this damn thing." She turned to glare at Aoshima. Her eyes widened to see him laughing his arse off with Kusakabe.

Twin killing intents glinted. "You two…"

* * *

Mukuro looked over at the dust cloud of avid scrapping curiously, holding a glass of lemon-lime bitters. "Now, would that count as the second, third or fourth rampage today?"

Chrome adopted similar thoughtful expression. "Are rampages defined as events or angry outbursts from individuals?"

"Well I guess when you think of 'rampage', it usually involves one person taking out their anger on surrounding people and objects."

"But, Mukuro-sama, saying the Varia went on a rampage, for example, still makes sense."

He set down his glass. "Ah. But that only makes sense if it's a specific group. Saying Tsunayoshi and Yukimura Seiji went on one rampage wouldn't make very much sense, you see, as they were rampaging for different reasons."

"But then could we say that the two disciplinary chairmen went on a rampage? They're doing it for the same reason."

Mukuro nodded sagely. "I see. Then this is the third rampage today."

Shouichi, who had heard their entire conversation, felt a giant sweat-drop form on the back of his head.

* * *

Events proceeded relatively smoothly until the dancing portion of the evening. The meal had been spectacular, with desserts pleasantly hot from the oven and delightfully cold from the freezer.

Tsuna sighed. "Maybe this is where I finally get my rest. Kyoko-chan, would you dance with me?"

The girl nodded enthusiastically. "Sure, Tsuna-kun."

Ah, the night was perfect. The music was nice and slow, he had his old crush and current close friend in his arms, and the Namigaku Council seemed to have satisfied itself with the rampages so far today and were being nice and docile.

Even before the whole Vongola Decimo business, Tsuna had never felt so at peace.

For like, five minutes.

Because then, of course, hordes of Yakuza and various other underworld nuisances stormed the hall, and everything went to hell.

* * *

In the middle of smashing heads together and kicking away baseball bats, Tsuna yelled out to the Midori Council President.

"What's the meaning of this?"

Though he was rolled into the room strapped to a hospital bed, Fujiwara still somehow managed to look nonchalant. "Oh, this? This is the true wrath of Midori! Say your last prayers, because tonight you will be wiped out! Without its famous Student Council, Namigaku is nothing!"

"If you had planned this, what was the point of kidnapping Lambo?"

"Hah! We're Mafia! We're not afraid to use underhanded tricks! But that kid wouldn't spill a thing about your weaknesses… You were lucky! But it doesn't matter! We just doubled our numbers!"

The other guests had been evacuated by the Host Club, Shouichi, Kyoko, and Haru. Everyone else had stayed to fight.

"You fool! You don't know what you're dealing with!" Gokudera yelled, taking down a small crowd of Yakuza men with a couple flicks of his wrists.

"Says the one coughing from his own fireworks!"

"FOR THE LAST-" here Gokudera would have been censored on prime-time television- "TIME! IT'S REAL-" and again- "DYNAMITE!"

Around this time Seiji exited the kitchen, as the last chef to do so, and blinked at the scene before him. He returned into the kitchen to fetch a wok and a metal ladle, and joined into the fray with a grin. Mukuro and Tsuna noted that the chef must not have been too serious, as the people he hit still seemed somewhat alive.

The fight was punctuated by yelling, bomb blasts, metal clashing on metal, and the occasional gong-like rings when Seiji got someone with the wok.

Tsuna sighed as he flung another pair of people out the window, hoping they'd land on something soft. "Where are the Varia when you need them? Didn't they say they'd be attending?"

Chrome, nearby, shrugged as she got one Yakuza fighter in his manly pride with one end of her trident. "Xanxus had a wardrobe malfunction and they decided to just ditch the whole thing."

"That has _got_ to be breaking some sort of code of honor."

Enma passed by a moment later trying to avoid breaking any of the attacker's bones as he retaliated, apologizing to each of them as he threw them out window after window. "Tsuna-kun! Are you alright?"

"Enma-kun!" Tsuna moved over to his friend. "Stay close to me! I don't want you getting hurt!"

"It's fine, Tsuna-kun. I've gotten stronger, remember? You're the one that needs protecting- after all, you're the Vongola's only hope," Enma chuckled.

Tsuna stopped, and then smiled back, laughing.

One of the Yakuza attackers stopped. "Wait… did you just say… Vongola?"

"Vongola?"

Did someone say Vongola?"

"That kid's in the Vongola!"

"Seriously? Oi, we didn't sign up for this!"

One red-haired Yakuza walked up to Tsuna and scrutinized him among the confusion.

Tsuna blinked at the familiar face. "Kasanoda…kun?"

"Sawada Tsunayoshi?"

They blinked at each other.

"Kasanoda-kun!"

"Sawada!"

And here we cue the awkward hugging scene among the silence.

"I _thought_ that something about these people was familiar," the boy identified as the third generation head of the Kasanoda-gumi straightened. He sent a glare at Fujiwara.

"You just made us fight against our strongest ally."

The temperature dropped.

"Tonight, you die."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: Is it ironic that all the concern about my cardiac health is... making the heart palpitations worse? I've always wished that I could list everyone that's ever reviewed and thank you all, but that would mean an overly long AN- so thanks to the regular reviewers such as the lovely Lunakatsuma, Kanako Arichi, Lexie-chan94, RenegadeWarrior, blizzard 10- oh darn it's getting long. Um, a few more- Autore Raita, NaturalSam14 and xXxMentalPancakesxXx- OK I SWEAR I'M DONE. O_O**

**Re****ader-samas, here is the chapter and a metal water pipe. The former I can only hope that you enjoy. The latter makes me wonder if I am a masochist.**

* * *

Punt. Crack. Slap. Thump.

Kusakabe, Aoshima, and Fujioka Haruhi got along surprisingly well as they sat out in the back courtyard together, sipping tea and snacking on French bread.

Punt. Crack. Slap. Thump.

"It must be such a pain to have to have to look after those rich bastards day after day," Aoshima commented to the small brunet.

Punt. Crack. Slap. Thump.

She- He- Haruhi replied with a nod. "It does get tiring sometimes- but probably not as tiring as chasing after your two disciplinary chairmen every day. I hear they have the destructive potential to level a town."

Punt. Crack. Slap. Thump.

Kusakabe scratched the back of his head and laughed nervously. "Yeah… a town… if by a town you mean the entirety of Tokyo."

Punt. Crack. Slap. Thump.

Haruhi whistled.

Punt. Crack. Slap. A girly shriek, and _then_ a thump.

Enma returned from the kitchens with a tray holding a jug of water and some glasses. "They'll probably be thirsty when they're done," he said quietly, setting it on the table.

Punt. Crack. Slap. Thump.

Things had really turned tides for Midori Boys' Academy when they realized over half the people in the ballroom were not only extremely dangerous, but _extremely_ angry at _them_. Of the yakuza hands they had hired, a good two thirds had been from the Kasanoda clan- the strongest clan in Kanto, but subsequently also a main Japanese ally of the strongest Family in Palermo.

The strongest Family in Palermo, Sicily, being the Vongola. Which the shrimpy Student Council President of Namimori Gakuen just _happened_ to be the heir of.

Whoops.

There had been blood- it just hadn't spurted from the people Midori had been expecting it to spurt from.

And so, at two in the morning, the Midori boys, bound and gagged out in the cold, found themselves-

Lifted by the scruffs of their shirts and dropkicked across the half the courtyard by an evil-eyed Kasanoda-gumi Sandaime.

Punt.

Then sent flying across the rest of the courtyard by a metal tonfa to the chest, held by a kimono-donning Vongola Cloud Guardian, most likely breaking some rib bones in the process.

Crack.

Then made to get up onto their feet with a metal fan to the behind from a relatively merciful Environmental Vice-Chairman.

Slap.

Then yanked by a black braid towards the open end of a shipping truck and flung in by a merciless Detention Chairman. Often forcefully. Occasionally after kneeing them in the groin.

Thump.

Girly shriek optional.

Kusakabe took a sip of his tea, as in the background another Midori student was bounced from one sadi- I mean, _handler_ to the next. "I wish Kyo-san would at least get out of the kimono first. I had been hoping to reuse it for the yearly social."

Aoshima sighed. "At least yours stays in shoes. Suzume-iinchou gave up on her sandals. Those socks will never be the same."

Enma twiddled his thumbs nervously. "I wonder if Adelheid is cold…"

Haruhi smiled slightly at the comfortable atmosphere. As a member of the Host Club, she was used to seeing people freak out at things that were daily occurrences for her. It was nice to see people with more accepting natures once in a while.

Even if what they were accepting was most likely a federal offence.

* * *

"I am so sorry, Tamaki-kun. Ootori-san, I promise to stay out of a three kilometer radius of your Academy from now on. And Haninozuka-san, if you really want to spar with Kyoya-san- no, our one- again please feel free to drop by whenever you like."

As Tsuna cried tears of gratitude when Ootori informed him he was willing to clear all charges in exchange for an alliance with the Vongola Family, the rest of the Namigaku Council piled into Dino's double-decker bus and prepared to head back to their hometown.

Aoshima and Kusakabe watched fondly as they let their respective chairmen have a 'run around' one last time before being cooped up for the ride home. Seiji was hitching a ride in the bus much to Reborn's displeasure, and Mukuro was getting caught up in the crossfire of Reborn's third murder attempt that morning.

With a final, bone-crushing hug from Kasanoda to the small-framed Vongola Decimo, it was time for final goodbyes. "Thank you so much for your patience. If you ever visit our area, please feel free to call on us for anything you might need."

Ootori adjusted his glasses, smirking. "I'll hold you to that."

* * *

"Itai!"

"Ite!"

"_Herbivore._"

Tsuna scowled at the three. "It's all your fault that we ended up destroying half of the Ouran campus in one weekend. I haven't gotten over that yet."

"Aoshima rubbed his head. "I understand with these two, but what did _I_ do?"he whined.

Tsuna gave him a death glare. "You invited the _Varia_."

"I didn't invite-"

"And when did you think it would be appropriate to mention you're related to the Varia's Strategic Captain?"

Aoshima sighed, giving up on rubbing his head, just letting the pain throb through his skull. "To be fair, I didn't know what Family you were inheriting until last night. I was afraid of scaring you."

"You're a thousand years to early to be scaring Jyuudaime with anything!"

Aoshima blinked. "Really? Then how about I tell you I haven't seen hide or hair of Rokudo-san, Seiji-san and Reborn-sensei for the last twenty kilometers?"

Tsuna looked confused for a moment, and then his face paled with horror. He abruptly turned to run up the stairs to the bus's second level. "MUKURO! ARE YOU ALIVE?"

* * *

"I'm… so… worn out…"

Mukuro patted his President's back in sympathy. He himself had smudges underneath his eyes, hair uncharacteristically out of place, so that it was less of a pineapple and more of a dragonfruit.

"At least you weren't tossed around like a potato sack for half an hour between two people that are most definitely experiencing some major unresolved… tension." Blue lines formed around the illusionist's defeated expression. "Not to mention that they have the destructive potential to level the _world_."

They were sitting together in Tsuna's office, on opposite sides of the President's desk, sprawled out on the polished wood. By the time they had gotten back to Namimori, school had just ended. Instead of making long treks home, the two especially tired Student Council members just decided to chill for a while in the Student Council Office.

"Look at all these messages that piled up while we were gone, Boss," Chrome commented as she entered the room, dropping a pile of twine-bound papers on the desk between the two. "I printed out the electronic ones so it would be easier on your eyes."

"Thanks Chrome…" Wearily, Tsuna picked himself up from the table and started untying the twine around the papers. As Chrome exited the room to take care of other matters, Tsuna asked Mukuro to help him go through the messages.

"Alright… Parents," he put a paper in one pile. "Other schools" went into another pile, "Faculty" into another and "Students" into the last. Any that didn't fit in those categories were put in a separate pile.

It went smoothly, until Mukuro was skimming an especially formal letter and stopped, cocking his head to the side. "This is an invitation to 'become one with Mother Russia'… what is Mother Russia and what is meant by 'becoming one' with it?"

Tsuna put a palm to his face and took that one off his Historian's hands, putting it into a pile of its own. "That's the third one this year… we'll forward that to the Prime Minister sometime later this week. Carry on."

* * *

It was barely two days since Tsuna and the rest had returned from their exhausting trip to Tokyo that it was time for Namigaku's biannual Student Council Panel. It was one of Tsuna's biggest 'headdesking' periods of the year as he had to try and maintain control of the Council in front of the student body and faculty members.

Behind the red curtain on the stage of the school hall, Tsuna was standing in front of the Council neatly seated in two rows, one elevated behind the other. Nameplates shining and blazers ironed, they looked the perfect image of a responsible Student Council.

That is, if Gokudera wasn't out of his seat strangling Lambo, Hibari and Ryohei weren't arm wrestling on the elevated desk, Yukimura wasn't braiding a lock of Aoshima's hair, and Mukuro wasn't creeping Shouichi out with his killer creeper vibes to the extent that the latter was hiding behind Chrome.

One clear of the throat from the President, however, changed that.

I mean, any look at a black aura that size with flashing orange eyes being the only human part visible would silence anyone.

Cough.

And so the panel began.

The curtain rose to find two neat rows of shining striped blazers, the smiling President standing at his seat in the middle of the elevated back row.

"Welcome, Namigaku, to the first Student Council Panel of this year. This panel serves to answer any unanswered questions you may still have about anything related to the school, but also as a means for you all to get to know your Student Council better.

Feel free to ask anything that comes to your mind, may it be about the school rules on jewelry or what my favorite color is. There will also be students walking around with pens, papers, and question collection bags for those of you too shy to stand up and yell, and we'll answer those questions at the end."

The hall erupted with murmurs about their President's 'confident charm' and 'boss aura'. The Council laughed quietly at some especially enthusiastic comments.

Mukuro also stood once the hall quieted.

"Also, just as a rule of common sense, please keep your questions sensible and age-appropriate for our middle school division. The incidents last year are why the primary school division is no longer allowed to attend these panels."

The hall erupted into light giggles.

Mukuro smirked. "Yes, yes, while it's fun to watch Tsunayoshi get flustered as you question his relationship with the school counselor, just remember that there are little ears in here that we don't wish to corrupt… Just yet."

"Mukuro!" Tsuna seethed, hand over his microphone.

Chrome covered her microphone as well and suggested that Mukuro sit down before Tsuna puts him even higher on his hit list.

"Alright, let's start," Tsuna said pleasantly, sitting down. His eyes panned the room as a forest of hands went up. "We'll start from the middle school division and work our way up. Any questions from class 1-A, middle school division? Ask in the order of your seat numbers, please…"

It was to be a three-hour panel. It had breaks in between, but it was still one of the most hated events for all the Council. The students got to sit comfortably in their chairs- rules on posture were relaxed for the especially long event- but the Council always had to be exemplars, sitting right and maintaining generally sane facades the whole time.

Well, that usually went to hell near the end of the second hour, but so far they were trying to be optimistic.

Tsuna and Kyoko had talked about splitting it into two panels on separate days, but that would have to be applied with the next one, as it had been too late to rearrange the first one of the year.

The first question had been a classic on what each member of the Student Council thought was most important about their positions. The answers ranged from Kyoko's "To make friends with everyone!" to Hibari's "To maintain the dignity of this school, and therefore bite all disobedient herbivores to death" to Aoshima's "Make sure no one dies in the Detention Centre."

Strangely enough, Aoshima's answer seemed to be the most appreciated.

* * *

Reborn stood at the back of the hall looking thoughtful as the student body exploded with laughter at Hibari's proclamation that "Kusakabe Tetsuya is more like a nagging housewife than any kind of right-hand man".

Perhaps it was the fatigue setting in from sitting in a hall for over an hour with only one five-minute break so far, but those Council panels really did a good job with making the students feel more at ease with the Student Council. Perhaps it was a method to be adopted for uses in the Vongola…

His phone buzzed lightly, and the fedora-donning man felt his eye twitch at the text from the 'pasta-loving fool'.

'Want to have a talk? I have your favorite cooked up…'

His eyes were almost glowing red as he replied.

'You and I both know food is not a proper bribe. And talk about what? We have nothing to talk about.'

He resolutely stuffed the phone back into his jacket pocket and listened as a student asked Aoshima what brand of shampoo he used.

As the boy went on to explain that he used _soap_ and the only reason his hair was still remotely manageable was because Yukimura insisted on taking care of it for him so she could play with it, Reborn's phone buzzed again.

'Come on! It's Spaghetti alle Vongole with white wine sauce!'

Irritated, the school counselor stepped out of the hall through a side door and called the pasta freak so he could yell at him.

"_Seiji dell'Inverno. _Io sono occupato. Disturb me again and I will bury you in your pasta supply."

The chef laughed on the other end of the line. "Come on, Reborn. We haven't had a proper talk in ages. You just keep trying to kill me every time I try."

"Ever think that's because I actually might not _want_ to talk with you?"

"Then what was that phone conversation last weekend?"

"Seiji…"

"I get it, I get it…" There was a short silence. "Reborn, I talked to Mukuro-kun."

More silence.

"We _need_ to talk."

* * *

"…NOTHING HAPPENED!" Gokudera yelled in indignation after someone asked him about the time he was found entangled in a janitor's closet with Yamamoto. "I WAS LOOKING FOR A MOP AND THE BASEBALL IDIOT CAME ALONG AND LOCKED US IN!"

Mukuro sighed. "And there goes the PG-12 rating."

"Shut up, pineapple bastard!"

The worst hour of the panel was always the third, because at that point all teachers would have left the hall to attend their own usual after-school meeting. Thus, chaos reigned as the school fangirls shed their skins and romped.

"Aoshima-san! Is it true that you danced with Kusakabe-san at the Ouran ball?"

"I did what now?" Aoshima turned to Yukimura. "Did I do that?"

She nodded. "You were too up on champagne to remember. I swear you have the alcohol tolerance of a newborn." Yes, Aoshima had indeed been dancing on Kusakabe's feet right before the Yakuza had arrived.

The room was deafened by squealing. Poor boys.

"Hibari-san! How do you feel about your wife dancing with another boy?"

Hibari blinked. "Wife?"

"I think he means Kusakabe," Yukimura said helpfully.

"I said he was _a _housewife_, _by no means did I imply that he was my housewife in particular."

"Tsuna-kaichou! Which of your Councilmen do you prefer?"

"Prefer?" he said exasperatedly, hand in his hair. "Didn't we say something about keeping the questions sensible? That makes no sense."

"Yukimura-san, do you actually enjoy being the Detention Chairman, or are you just doing it because your brother did?"

The room quieted.

"Oh look, a decent question," Lambo murmured in wonder. He had been wondering the whole time that if the primary school division wasn't attending, just what exactly the point of him being there _was_- and had figured out after Tsuna had used him for such a purpose a few times that he was there to dispel the discomfort from awkward questions with his childish innocence.

Apparently he was also there to state the obvious as anyone else would sound stupid doing it.

Yukimura had a strange glint in her eye as she answered the question. "Of course, it's true that the reason I took over the Detention Committee was because it belonged to my beloved brothers… but I find that I enjoy it. I enjoy it very, very, much," she purred, with a deceptively sweet smile. A small black cat in her arms would complete the picture.

Cue the entire room shuddering.

* * *

"…Seiji. I'm just going to say it. This is very uncomfortable."

The shorter man was leaned over the other from behind, tipping the hitman tutor's chin back to look each other in the eyes.

They were in Seiji's personal dining room, emptied plates having just been taken away after an almost completely silent meal.

"I called you here to talk, Reborn. I don't like having to do it either, but we've got to get these things out in the open."

Reborn's eyes narrowed. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

A flash of something- was it hurt?- raced behind his yellow eyes before Seiji let go, walking over to the bay window. "I know that sorry isn't going to cut it, but can we start from there?" he said softly.

There was silence. "No." The fedora was pulled down in apparent anger. "No, we can't." His voice softened. "It's been too long. I don't want to pick at a wound I've already stitched up."

"You've left a shard of glass in that wound." Seiji walked back over to his- friend? Enemy? Old comrade? He walked over to Reborn and gripped the taller man's shoulders, staring into him with his unblinking yellow eyes. "We're going to dig it out if this ends with my life."

Reborn pulled away with a jerk. "It's been decades. You can't expect to just waltz back in and say it was all for the best and that you're sorry."

"...I'm not."

A violent slam and a crack was heard as the world's greatest hitman snapped. Seiji lay unblinking among the splinters of his own dining table as he walked away, making to leave in silence.

A fist tightened. "Don't act like you _know everything already!_"

Footsteps were slowed to a halt at the former Prince of Winter actually _yelling_. There was silence.

"Don't…"

Seiji's voice shook.

Reborn didn't turn around.

"I'm not noble enough to have acted for the reasons you think I did. It didn't _matter_ what the Chosen Seven ended up being. All I knew was that you were chosen, and I _wasn't_."

More damned silence.

"You… you think I valued what we had so little as to push you away so you could go and meet some strangers? You think I didn't hate the thought of parting? You think that I gave a damn about what you could do for the world with these people? It would have been better if you had just gone and left me, but you wanted me to _come with you_."

After a pause, there was a response. "And?"

"You let me live as your equal when we met, but I knew that as you got stronger, there would be a gap between us. As you became the world's best, you stopped telling me everything, you built yourself a wall to keep all the secrets you had… and I was fine with that, but the way you still called us equals… that was painful. When you were called on for your merit of being the _strongest_, I knew that would be it. I wouldn't be able to stay with you any longer." His voice softened.

At this Reborn _did _turn around. "And why not?"

Seiji smiled a bit. "I wouldn't be able to stand it," he replied, almost at a whisper.

"Living in your shadow as someone you needed to protect. Someone you needed to keep behind you. It hurt badly enough as things had been before… but after standing for so long as the one at your back in the middle of the battlefield, I wouldn't be able to stand becoming the one waiting for you at home."

Reborn's face was unreadable. But the shorter man before him saw confusion, frustration, and anger battling it out. "And so… you instead left _me_ first and tried to make me _kill_ you."

Angry footsteps brought Reborn a centimeter from Seiji's face, hands finding themselves buried in the shoulders of the man's shirt.

"Are you _kidding me_?" he yelled to Seiji's face. "I understand that you were childish back then, but that is the _stupidest thing I have ever heard!_"

Seiji laughed. "I thought you'd say that," he said lightly. "Now that I've done my spiel, though, you can feel free to leave."

"Oh, no, you are not getting off this so easily. Yukimura Seiji, for the last three _decades _I've been _hating_ you, thinking that you were some arrogant bastard trying to make me do what you thought was best, and _now_ you tell me that you were doing it because…" his pace slowed.

"You were doing it because you were…"

There was a long pause.

"…In pain."

Another irritating laugh. "Yes, pretty much."

Reborn took a breath. "I… I _detest you. _I _loathe_ you, _abhor_ you, _despise_ you, you crazy son of a bitch. Ti_ odio," _he spat.

"Mhm, I thought you'd say that too."

Reborn stared at his old partner, fingers twitching, as if he didn't know what to do. One observing might say he was contemplating all the ways he could kill the man before him.

Finally, he gave in. "It seems neither of us understood each other when it mattered the most," Reborn muttered quietly, so quietly only Seiji could hear. "You- you're such a… _kid_."

"I know," he chuckled in reply.

"Do you know what you made me go through?"

"I can guess."

"…I _hate_ you."

Seiji looked up with his amused yellow eyes, and kissed Reborn's nose softly. "I love you too."


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N: Reader-samas... Lunakatsuma... it- it hit triple digits. TRIPLE DIGITS. -thump-**

* * *

"_No_, Mukuro does not get 'special privileges'. Next question!"

Gokudera's hand rustled in the felt bag for a few seconds before pulling out another piece of paper. He cleared his throat. "'Dear Hibari-san. Are you going out with Yukimura-san from the Detention Committee?'"

The respective concerned chairmen simultaneously brought their hands to their faces. "For the _sixth_ time, _no_," Yukimura enunciated.

It was all the questions that no one dared to ask out loud, so it was no wonder they were facepalm-inducing.

"Uh… Oh, it's for me. 'Gokudera-san, what's it like to be-'" he stopped abruptly and turned bright red. "I TOLD YOU I DON'T SWING THAT WAY!"

The hall erupted into laughter.

The questions continued on in this manner, most being irritating for the Council, others amusing, and still others making certain members go green- though with disgust or envy was to be observed.

"All right! Last question of the day. Dear Sawada-kaichou. What exactly _is_ your relationship with the school counselor?" Gokudera blinked and then his eye twitched.

Tsuna sighed. "Well, they phrased it better than last year… Reborn was my home tutor in middle school. He still helps me with work sometimes."

There was murmuring, mostly consisting of 'That was actually a pretty normal answer…'

And then out of the blue, someone yelled "But I saw you two sleeping together in the Student Council Office!"

In the silence that followed, Mukuro held up his piece of paper with 'KEEP IT PG-12' written with a bold black marker, and ripped it up into tiny little pieces, shaking his head. Placing his hand elegantly under his chin once he was done, he looked over to Tsuna and shook his head. "I am disappointed, kaichou."

The hall exploded with noise. Tsuna tried his best to exert some damage control. "WAIT! THAT WAS A NAP! A NAP! HE'S MY MENTOR! EVERYBODY, PLEASE QUIETEN DOWN!"

Chrome put a hand to her face and sighed at the thought of all the calls she would have to deal with.

* * *

"Ah, detention-ditchers… my favorite kind of students," Yukimura sighed almost dreamily. The Detention Warden sharing the patrol with her sweat-dropped slightly.

"Suzume-iinchou, don't you think you've got it a little backwards? I mean, you're a discipline chairman…"

"No, that's Hibari. I am the _detention_ chairman. The way he loves discipline, I love detention," she smiled.

"What happened to Hibari-_san_? Are the rumors true, then?" The Warden poked mischievously.

"Don't say things that can be used against you, Alpine. Using 'san' makes yelling at him less effective, so I dropped it."

A larger sweat-drop formed on the back of Alpine's hood. As expected of their Suzume-iinchou, for whom the closest thing to a love interest was the meter ruler she carried when making rounds in the Detention Centre.

* * *

"ROKUDO MUKURO!"

"What did I do_ this_ time?" came the wailed reply. Chrome looked up from where she was handling all the calls after the Student Council Panel in the Office's waiting room, and saw a flash of black, gold, and indigo as her Mukuro-sama ran past. It was followed by another flash of black, gold, and silvery hair. She sighed.

"I'm sorry, but I'll have to call you back." Setting the phone on the table and shutting the laptop, Chrome dashed out the door after the disappearing duo.

"Mukuro-sama! Slow down! I have bets on whether or not your hair would survive Gokudera-san's bombs!"

* * *

Yukimura sighed as she sat down at her desk, hand going to the small calendar set at the corner. "It's that time of the year again, ne, Kiyoshi? So much has been going on that I almost didn't notice."

Aoshima shut the door and nodded, sitting himself on the couch. "I've booked our tickets and discussed leave with Sawada-kaichou."

Yukimura smiled and nodded in appreciation. "I kind of feel bad for leaving Shizuka-san to deal with my father for a whole week."

"Will Shou and Shin-san be going as well?"

"Shou will. You know that Shin always visits with my father at another time of the year."

"Right…" Aoshima looked up at Yukimura, still looking at the carefully circled date on her calendar. There was only a brief pause before the Vice Chairman asked "Are you okay?"

Yukimura snapped out of her trance and smiled at him. "I should be asking you that," she replied with a soft chuckle, putting down the calendar, opening a drawer and getting out the set of keys that she had returned to her office for in the first place. "Come on, then. We have detentions to run."

Colonello sighed as he wandered into the faculty's office. Those damned meetings never really concerned him anyway- all he was paid to do was tell kids to run and then tell them to run faster.

He looked around to find only one other person there. "Yo! Nishimura-sensei. Have you seen the counselor around?"

The math teacher looked up from her meeting notes, adjusted her glasses, and then shook her head. "I don't think he was at the meeting either."

Colonello sighed. "Geez, he's the student counselor, shouldn't he be on-hand or something? Thanks, I'll try his cell phone."

Colonello wandered over to a window and fished out his own phone, finding his fellow ex-Arcobaleno's number and dialing. After a couple moments it went through. He grinned.

"Kora! Where are you? Your charge's underlings are beating each other senseless."

Seeing Nishimura-sensei's face at his words, he calmed down, putting a hand around his mouth. "You've got to come see this, it's hilarious!"

To his surprise, it wasn't Reborn who answered. "Hello Colonello-kun. Reborn's a bit busy at the moment. Do you want me to pass him a message?"

"Oh, Yukimura. Sure." He paused as his message was relayed. "Wait, what's he busy doing?"

"He's just fixing my dining room table, it shouldn't take long."

"Why is he fixing your dining room table?"

"Well, he broke it." There was amusement in the other man's voice. "You see, we were talking about some provocative matters, and he ended up slamming me into the ta-"

"WOAH." Colonello interrupted, panicked, paling. "TOO. MUCH. INFORMATION. Just-just tell him to come to school once he's done." Rather rudely, the PE teacher hung up and promptly smashed his head against the nearest wall, muttering incoherently.

"Ano… sensei, are you alright?"

Colonello looked up to see a concerned Nishimura.

"HE'S BEEN _CORRUPTED_!" the blond teacher screamed- more wailing, really, as he ran out of the faculty office, leaving behind a very confused math teacher.

* * *

Days passed relatively slowly in Namigaku, especially for Tsuna, as it seemed that each day his Council and the students found new ways to challenge his hold on his sanity. From Yukimura and Hibari's daily cross-campus spars, to Gokudera using Mukuro as his stress ball, who then went crying to Tsuna, to students creating a petition for the dissolution of the Detention Committee, which unleashed all eighteen ticked off Wardens onto the campus in broad daylight- the list went on and on.

And that was _one week_ worth of chaos.

The following week, Aoshima reported on Monday morning that he and Yukimura would be leaving for a trip.

"When?" Kusakabe inquired.

"We leave this afternoon. Sawada-kaichou, thank you for keeping quiet. We want our absence to be as subtle as possible. We promise to be back by next Monday."

"Where are you going?" Kyoko said in a friendly manner.

Aoshima smiled a bit. "Sicily."

_Silence_. Silence so heavy that even Ryohei stopped grappling with Lambo to stay in his seat and Lambo stopped struggling.

"What are you going to be _doing_ in Sicily?" Gokudera asked warily.

"That's personal," Aoshima replied without missing a beat. More silence.

"So… About the Technology Committee's budget…" Tsuna started with an awkward chuckle.

* * *

"Hurry, Suzume! We'll miss our check-in time if we don't leave in the next twenty minutes."

"I know, I know… I just can't find my comb."

"…What do you mean you can't find your _comb_! I specifically told you to pack that last night!"

"I KNOW! But it's gone missing!"

Tsuna hesitated to knock on the door. He looked to his Guardians on either side of him and they shrugged. Well, Hibari sighed in exasperation, but it was close enough.

"Ano… Yukimura-san?"

The group were at the open door of the Yukimura house. It was a lavish traditional Japanese building a way out into the Namimori forest, with a tranquil air about it- if not for the pair of high school students running around inside turning the place upside-down, apparently looking for a comb.

"Eh?" Yukimura muttered in surprise. "Sawada-kaichou. What are you doing here?"

"Ah... we wanted to wish you well on your trip." Not even Tsuna had known they were heading for _Italy_ of all places before that morning, so in reality they were trying to find out the details of just what they would be doing in the motherland of the Mafia- but they weren't going to say that out loud.

"If you're that keen to wish us well then help us find that damned comb! We can't leave without it!" Aoshima said from the other room.

"Why is the comb so important?"

As Yukimura wandered off somewhere else, Aoshima met them at the door, hair mussed and roughly tied back into a proper ponytail. The unusual exposure of Aoshima's shapely cheekbones made him look almost like another person. Like…

"Woah, are you Aoshima's sister or something? You look extremely alike!"

Twitch.

Bang.

Thump.

"You have an… extreme right hook. You should extremely join… the boxing club!" was all Ryohei managed to get out before passing out.

Tsuna looked horrified.

Aoshima sighed. "That comb is the only thing that can untangle the full length of Suzume's hair. It's made of titanium-reinforced steel. Without it she won't be able to braid her hair properly after washing it. So hurry up, if you're here already you might as well help!" Aoshima walked off into the house without another word.

The Vongola Tenth Generation looked at each other, Lambo poking Ryohei with a stick in the background, and they sighed. Taking off their shoes, they joined the hunt for the comb.

"How long _is_ Yukimura's hair?" Mukuro pondered as he helped Tsuna out of his shoes before he tripped over himself.

Gokudera sighed. "It's longer than her height when _braided_. Think about it."

* * *

Tsuna and company ended up seeing Yukimura and Aoshima off to the airport, at which point Hibari left, seeing no point in staying, and so with Lambo having taken Ryohei to see a doctor, 'Tsuna and company' really only encompassed Tsuna, Yamamoto, Gokudera, Mukuro, and Chrome.

After Yukimura and Aoshima checked in, the Vongola group continued trying to grasp some insight on what the two were going to Italy for. It was a precaution, really- because honestly. The daughter of one of the most dangerous men on earth going to _Sicily_ of all places, out of the blue, with no explanation as to why- what Mafioso in his right mind would leave _that_ alone?

Though it possible that the whole time they tried to be 'subtle', they were only providing entertainment for Aoshima, confirmed when he said- "Sawada-kaichou, you really push the barriers of adorability trying to weasel information out of _me_."

Mukuro covered up a laugh with a cough when Gokudera glared at him.

"But if you're really that desperate to know," Yukimura started, playing with the end of her braid.

The Vongola group leaned in.

Yukimura leaned in as well.

The Vongola leaned in further.

Yukimura said, in the softest whisper-

"It's still none of your business."

They fell over.

* * *

Yukimura Seiji was cheerfully cooking up pasta in the kitchen of 'Sapore Nostra', calling out to customers who came in in a friendly manner through the bar window at the back of the restaurant, where he could see straight past the un-fenced tables that took up half the restaurant, the partitioned tables taking up the other, to the reception desk Shizuka-san was standing at.

The restaurant had always had a relaxed air about it, but especially that particular day, it had an even more authentic cheerful summery Mediterranean atmosphere than usual.

"Sachiko-san! The usual?"

"Ah, yes, thank you, Yukimura-san!"

"Sure are cheerful today, aren't we, Seiji-san?" Shizuka said cheerfully.

The customer, Sachiko, and her young son sat themselves near the reception desk. "Ah, Shizuka-san, it must be so wonderful to have a husband that can cook so well."

"Mou, Sachiko-san! I've told you so many times that we aren't like that! I'll get mad if you say it again!" the receptionist joked cheerfully, but nonetheless giving the busy Seiji a wistful look when no one was watching.

The bell tinkled as another customer entered. "Ah, welcome! You must be a new customer. Please have a seat and take a look at our menu!"

Shizuka faltered when all the new customer gave her was an amused eye, declining her offer of the menu, walking all the way down to the bar window, seating himself, and looking around the neat kitchen for a moment before calling out to the cook.

"Seiji. A plate of tortellini, please. You know what I like."

The pasta chef whipped around in surprise, eyes positively lighting up when he saw the familiar figure of Reborn, with his fedora over one eye, seated in _his_ restaurant, at _his_ bar.

"Reborn!" Seiji ran towards the man as if to give him a kiss. He was promptly stopped with a hand to the face.

"I let you get away with one, but that was _it_. Hurry up with my food."

Stupidly happy with taking that order, he quickly finished the spaghetti for Sachiko-san and her son and started on the tortellini. He talked as he cooked.

"Does this mean you approve of my new profession?"

"Not even close. This simply means I was hungry and in the neighborhood."

"…So you were craving my cooking?"

"…Shut up."

* * *

"SAWADA-KAICHOU! SAWADA-KAICHOU! THE CAT ROOM'S EXPLODED!"

Tsuna spat out his morning coffee into the mug and blinked at the Detention Warden before him. "I'm sorry, what?"

"The Cat Room- The detention students in there escaped, and the… _things_ in there escaped as well!"

"What things?"

The Warden suddenly looked nervous. He then simply grabbed the Student Council President by the arm and ran. "JUST COME AND SEE!"

As he was literally dragged down a flight of stairs, Tsuna sighed.

The _first_ day Yukimura and Aoshima left, and things were already exploding.

* * *

"Kiyoshi, let's go to yours first," Yukimura suggested.

It was a fine day in the countryside of Sicily, and the pair were dressed elegantly, holding bouquets and a picnic basket. Aoshima was dressed in a casual pale grey suit, jacket taken off and slung over his shoulder.

Yukimura was in one of her only dresses, a long, flowing white piece, though she was wearing hiking boots. But not even Yukimura wearing a _dress_ was the most shocking thing that day.

It was Yukimura _without a braid._

Yes, you read the correctly.

While Aoshima, for once, was tying all his hair back, Yukimura had her hair rather loose, woven in a flat pattern resembling a close-up look at an intricate flax basket. It flowed like a tapestry down her back, brushing the grass as she walked.

They wandered through the forest of stone monuments and crying statues, and finally made their way to a pair of stones set into the ground with a pair of names that Aoshima had memorized since he could read.

The two knelt before the headstones, Yukimura gripping her friend's hand tightly.

Superbia Celestino and Aoshima Jun.

It was a blessing that they had been allowed to be buried together despite not being married.

Yukimura placed the white roses they had brought by each headstone, bowing to them as she did. Afterwards she turned to Aoshima himself and pulled him into her arms.

* * *

"So that's where they left for… Tsuna mentioned that he was having trouble controlling the Detention Committee," Reborn commented.

Seiji nodded as he served up Reborn's favorite kind of spaghetti up on a plate. "Is it just me, or so you get hungry in this neighborhood a lot?"

Reborn sighed. "Shut up and feed me my pasta."

Seiji complied, handing him a fork. "Shin and I visited earlier this year. It's routine. Nothing to worry about."

"Why do you visit separately?"

Seiji smiled gently for a moment before turning around and starting on some dishes. "Shin and I are the only ones that really remember her clearly. Shou was only three when it happened, you know."

"What did happen?" Reborn asked quietly. Then he coughed. "I tended to avoid researching you after what happened between us." Seiji stopped and wiped his hands dry, pulling out the ring on a chain that was around his neck, gazing at it fondly.

* * *

Yukimura Suzume and Yukimura Shou were in some ways alike and others complete opposites, as close siblings tended to be. While Suzume had hints of her father's cat-yellow eyes, Shou's eyes were their mother's deep chocolate brown, often shaded behind his dark hair.

His face lost none of its usual serenity as his little sister leaned into his shoulder, fingers digging into his arm. Aoshima hung back, as with Shou there it would be almost barging in on a very delicate family reunion.

Simonetta of the Battaglia Famiglia. She had been a don's daughter- and accordingly had a lavish angel for a headstone. White rose petals were whipped up by a breeze as it passed.

* * *

"I was an idiot to have thought that I could ever have left the underworld so easily," Seiji said quietly. "She and Kiyoshi's parents paid the price. It had been my idea to take our children away from the bloodshed… and so I was the only one left alive."

Reborn sat quietly, waiting. The buzz of the restaurant continued obliviously in the background.

"They found us in the middle of the night. I was trying to protect Shin and Shou when they got her. She was too burdened to protect herself, and they got her by the throat. Tino took a bullet for Kiyoshi and Jun was able to hide the boy before she got shot herself."

Reborn shifted. "Burdened?"

Seiji bit his lip and chuckled, shaking his head. "It wasn't her fault, it really wasn't… It was just at the wrong time…"

And again Reborn waited, food untouched.

"Suzume."

"What about her?"

"Suzume was born by a post-mortem Caesarean. To everyone else, their birthday celebrates the day they were born. To Suzume, it marks the day she was carved out of her dead mother."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: As someone who has never made a single confession in real life, I don't feel embarassed at all to say that... that.. I LOVE YOU. ALL OF YOU. Maybe I should've bought you dinner or something first, but it just kind of came out... I don't want to do the long list thing again but- Lunakatsuma, Kanako Arichi, Lexie-chan94, NaturalSam14, xXxMentalPancakesxXx, and Guest- Je vous aime comme une chat aime le soleil. **

**And about the chapter... I am so sorry, reader-samas. So, so sorry.**

* * *

"Seiji-san?"

The chef looked up from where he was finishing up with the dishes. The restaurant was nearing closing, with the moon high in the sky out the kitchen window. "Ah, Shizuka. Would you mind grabbing that oven pan over there? Self-saucing pudding really sticks if left alone."

The Japanese woman nodded and handed it to him, blushing slightly when their hands touched. Seiji pretended not to notice.

"What is it you want, Shizuka?"

She bit her lip. "I was only wondering… since Suzume-chan and Kiyoshi-kun are away, I thought you might be lonely during the day… There's this movie I was planning to go see tomorrow… would… would you like to go with me?"

Seiji looked up, gloves still buried in the bubbles of the sink, and smiled. "Sure. The restaurant only opens at three, I've got plenty of time to go see a movie with a close friend like yourself."

Shizuka beamed, but it then faded. "Seiji-san… do you hate me that much? Every time I want to do something together…"

He returned to the dishes. "You practically raised Suzume, how can I hate you? Even Kiyoshi calls you her mother."

"But I'm not her mother, am I?"

The clock ticked in the background, accompanied by faint zooming as cars drove past outside.

"Seiji-san, it's been so long… You always look so lonely…" The woman was hesitant to approach him, but took a step forward nonetheless. "I would never ask you to forget her, but are you okay?"

Seiji turned to her and gave her his gentlest smile. "Of course I'm okay. I'm not alone. I've got Suzume, you, and this restaurant. I'm glad that you understand that I won't forget her, but please don't misunderstand- I'm not holding on to her like that, I understand that she is a memory. But who she has left behind are very much real. I don't want to upset Shin, Shou, and Suzu."

Shizuka blinked in momentary surprise and broke into a smile tinged with relief. "I'm so glad, Seiji-san. Ignore anything else I've said. The movie's an action-comedy, you'll love it!"

* * *

Seiji returned to a dark house. He made no move to remedy that as he hung his coat on the row of pegs, on the one he knew was labeled with his name, shuffling out of his shoes and throwing his keys into the bowl with a soft tinkle.

His steps were softened by his socks as he made his way up the stairs to his bedroom, where he sighed and let himself fall backwards onto his bed. Glancing upwards, he could see a starry night sky through the glass sliding door to his personal balcony, moon nowhere to be found.

Though traditional in outward appearance, the inside of the Yukimura house was a mixture of the ancient and the modern. There were several rooms with tatami flooring, but others with hardwood and tile. There was a flat screen television in the living room with an elaborately painted fan as a backdrop on a bamboo wall.

In Seiji's room, he preferred familiar Italian furniture and soft, burgundy carpet. The walls were done in tastefully patterned cream wallpaper, and his balcony held Western-style metal chairs and a table.

A table at which a figure wearing a fedora was sitting at.

Seiji blinked owlishly and stood, walking around his bed to unlock the sliding door and open it to peer at that who was indeed Reborn.

"Reborn, darling, I know we've made nice and all, but there really is no need to stalk me."

"Shut up and let me in."

The shorter man complied and stepped to the side so the taller could slip into his room. "What, you couldn't get past a simple bolt?"

Reborn sighed as said bolt was slid back into place after Seiji closed the sliding door. Lit only by the stars, his room seemed a lot larger than it probably was, everything a shade of blue and black.

"Ever heard of courtesy?" the man said in a sarcastic tone. "So, you're 'not alone' because you have your restaurant and Suzume?"

Unfazed by the blatant reference to a supposedly private conversation, Seiji nodded. "And Shizuka."

"She counts as part of the restaurant."

"Alright then."

A short pause. "What am I, chopped liver?"

"You've always wanted to use that line, haven't you?"

"Why would I? Do I look like a person who should be using the phrase 'chopped liver'?"

Seiji was smiling with that smug amusement of his as Reborn put a palm to his face in exasperation. Deciding to put him out of his misery, Seiji trained his cat-yellow eyes on his friend and said simply- "You're much more than just company, Reborn. I don't know if you've noticed, but you're kind of the air I breathe."

He leaned forward and lifted the fedora with a finger. "It was nice of you to let me stick around. You've brought me back to life."

Reborn stared back.

"I swear… that those eyes of yours are radioactive."

Seiji blinked. "Actually, I did live near power plant for a while when I was little…"

Reborn took this opportunity to put a hand at the shorter man's back, keeping him from turning away. "Today's the day, isn't it?"

"Hm?"

"Her death day."

As expected, Seiji tried to turn away from the hitman's gaze, but like a fly in a trap, he was only held more tightly as Reborn wound a second arm around his waist.

"You know that I'm stronger when it comes to brute force," Reborn muttered. "Tell me."

"Yeah," Seiji replied, not even bothering trying to lie. "It is." He did, however, tilt his head down so only the top of it was visible to Reborn. Not that it made much difference, but it was a thing of pride.

Reborn bit the inside of his cheek as he felt Seiji's mood go darker.

* * *

The next day, after school, Mukuro was sent down to the Detention Centre to check up on things. He blinked when he got to the bottom of the stairwell- well, about three or four steps from the bottom of the stairwell, actually, as a rubber duck floated by.

Yes. A rubber duck floated by.

Mukuro grimaced as he stepped down into the Centre, the water lapping up to his hips. He lifted up his blazer as to not get it wet, folding it up and tucking the unbuttoned front corners back behind the collars of the jacket.

He spotted a Warden nearby, its robes gathered up from behind and thrown over one shoulder, looking quite comical trying to move stealthily through the water. The indigo-haired Historian cleared his throat. The Warden looked up in alarm.

"Rokudo Mukuro? What are you doing down here?" From the shadows of the Warden's cowl shone magenta eyes.

"I've been sent to check on the Detention Centre for our beloved kaichou. Er… what's happened here?" he gestured to the water.

"Oh, the Water Room flooded. We have people dealing with it, don't worry. But the water damage is going to be a dent in our budget. And just when we got some extra money too… Would you like me to give you a tour, Rokudo?"

Mukuro blinked, and then coughed suddenly when he realized the Warden had been staring straight at him the whole time from under the cowl. "That would be helpful," he said politely. It was a good opportunity for him to actually get some information on the Detention Centre for the school papers.

"My name is Sleet. I'm managing the Cat Room today, but usually I'm assigned to the Bamboo Room."

"What is the 'Cat Room'?" Mukuro asked as he followed the Warden into the darkness, wading through the water carefully.

"It's also known as the Crawling Animal Torture Room. I don't recommend you delve into details, it's not meant for law-abiding students such as yourself."

Mukuro chuckled softly at the irony. "And I assume you will say the same about the Bamboo Room?"

"You catch on quickly," Sleet quipped.

* * *

_Wednesday, Unknown Location in Sicily_

_Cemetery, approximately 8PM (Italian time is approximately eight hours behind Japanese)_

"…You know what he did a while ago? Spent an hour and a half out in the rain at night, and came down with the flu the next day. He even gave it to me once he was better…"

Yukimura Suzume was sitting alone before the gravestones of Aoshima's parents, dressed in a long black coat and a white scarf, hair done in its usual braid. She sipped at a hot chocolate from a nearby store, a tea with milk set in front of Aoshima Jun and a black coffee in front of Superbia Celestino.

"He's still as adorable as ever though, don't you worry," Yukimura smiled.

There was a short silence as Yukimura took another sip of her drink, a slight breeze going by.

"Yesterday was yours' and my mother's death day. This is going to sound strange, Superbia-san, Aoshima-san, but I never feel more like a stranger to my father than I do on that day every year. She's… well, for one thing, instead of talking to her right now I'm talking to you. Am I doing something wrong? Am I closer to Kiyoshi than I am to my own family?"

There was more silence as Yukimura looked not to the gravestones, but the twilight summer sky above. "It's going to the summer holidays soon… maybe I should spend some more time with my father." She paused.

"We could come here to Sicily- maybe Shou would come as well. And Kiyoshi could visit your nephew for a while, Superbia-san, and live together just like they did when they were little. Wouldn't that be picturesque?" she laughed softly.

"Ah, but I have that camp with the Wardens… It doesn't really matter, does it? I look nothing like my mother. I inherited neither her hair nor her eyes. Shou got her eyes, Shin got her hair…" Her face took on an expression of amusement.

"Shin's the heir, Shou's the back-up, I'm the 'oops'. That's usually how it is in high-class families, isn't it? I wasn't even necessary…"

Yukimura Suzume set down her paper cup and laid herself out on the grass beside the stone platform in front of the gravestones, still under the shelter of the stone roof. She looked beyond it to the stars peeking out from the velvet folds of the night sky, and sighed.

"Maybe I'll just stay here for tonight…"

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori Town_

_Namimori Gakuen Detention Centre, 4:15PM (Japanese time is approximately eight hours ahead of Italian)_

Mukuro finished off the text to Tsuna that all was generally under control down in the Detention Centre, and then turned to Sleet.

"So, how can I apply for a job down here?"

Sleet blinked. Mukuro had figured out the general area in the shadow of the hood to look for her eyes in. They were a very distinctive magenta color- how no one had figured out her student identity yet was beyond him.

"Why do you want to work in the Centre, Rokudo? Aren't you already the Historian?"

To tell the truth, Mukuro had found endless inspiration for illusions down in the bowels of the Centre. If he were allowed to work there, not only would he be able to hone his fear-bringing skills, but also get credit for doing it. He cleared his throat.

"It just seems that with the two chairmen away, you are slightly understaffed. I would be glad to step in and lend a helping hand- I myself have some experience in the concepts of incarceration and punishment."

Sleet looked at him long and hard. In these battles of glaring, Mukuro usually won in the first three seconds with barely any effort- heterochromatic eyes with strangely shaped pupils did that. But this Sleet could go toe to toe with the illusionist when it came to intense gazes. Her bright irises seemed to burn afterimages into his vision even without him blinking.

"No, I'm sorry."

Mukuro took a deep breath when she finally broke her gaze, and then composed himself. "Why not?"

"Suzume-iinchou has a policy about never letting Wardens come to enjoy the pain of others too much. Those that show the first signs of this thirst are evicted from our ranks immediately and put through a rehabilitation program. This year alone we've had two cases of this happening. During the summer camp, we, the remaining Wardens, will be trialed and tested for our mental strength and quality of character."

Sleet took a couple of steps forward and looked Mukuro straight in the eye from under her hood. "I understand that you would have had no previous knowledge on this, so I will not berate you for taking the matter lightly. But I think you also know, now, why I must refuse you."

Yes, Mukuro fully understood why he couldn't be a Warden now. But he was never one to turn down the opportunity of playing the devil's advocate, and so smiled back and said "Why?"

Sleet brought a hand up and bent down her own face, her hood hiding what she was doing. She removed a glove, and then Mukuro smelled blood.

She brought up her bloody thumb to the Historian's face. He stared at it.

"As I thought, Rokudo Mukuro. You are used to the sight of blood. No, I could even say that you enjoy it. Behind your every movement and expression, deep in your soul, is a disgusting longing for this sight. You are bloodthirsty, Rokudo. And you know it."

"Oya, oya… I sure am being picked on lately," he sighed, but unable to remove his gaze from Sleet's blood, rolling slowly down the side of her hand, down her slim wrist and disappearing into the shadows of her sleeve.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori Town_

_Sawada Household, approximately 8PM_

Tsuna wasn't fazed in the slightest when Reborn opened his bedroom window from the outside and climbed in, shutting it neatly behind him. He looked up and blinked.

"Where have you been?"

"Out."

"Where did you sleep last night?"

"Out… in the forest."

"Where's your jacket?"

Reborn blinked in a rare moment of surprise when he looked down to find that indeed, he wasn't wearing his infamous suit jacket.

He then huffed in an irritated manner and pulled down his hat as he told Tsuna to get back to his paperwork, exiting the room, presumably to go shower.

Tsuna blinked and sighed. Reborn had gotten somewhat easier to read in adult form, but that didn't mean he was any less mysterious. He resumed his paperwork, only for his phone to ring a moment later. He blinked at the unfamiliar number.

"Moshimoshi, Sawada Tsunayoshi here. Eh? Seiji-san?"

"Yeah. Could you tell my darling Reborn that he's left his mobile here?"

"Oh. Sure. Is that all?"

"No, he's also left a shotgun, a set of keys, what I think is his paycheck, and a day planner- just tell him he left his jacket here. And his belt."

"His… belt?"

"…Don't ask me, I don't remember everything that happened last night- or this morning- either. I only woke up a few minutes ago to find him gone and myself strapped to a table leg with his belt. Stripped down to my boxers. Which are kind of wet for some reason."

"…"

"...I didn't think you wanted to know either. But thanks anyway. Work hard, ne, seito kaichou-san!"

Tsuna hung up, dropped his phone, and backed away from it slowly.

Later, when Reborn returned to Tsuna curled up in a ball on his bed muttering incoherently, he had a really hard time convincing him that he and Seiji had gone for a swim in the river while slightly drunk, and _that had been it_.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Town_

_Sawada Household, approximately 2AM_

Tsuna had been woken up by Lambo having a bad dream in the middle of the night. He rubbed his eyes sleepily at the short figure at the door, face streaming with tears. He sighed.

Flipping open his duvet, he nodded for the kid to get in. Lambo ran without a word into his Tsuna-nii's bed, snuggling up close to the boy.

That was strange. Usually he was noisier. Though Tsuna could hardly care as he drifted back to sleep, the feeling of little arms curled tightly around his waist the last thing he knew before blackness overcame him again.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Town_

_Sawada Household, 2:41AM_

"What, Mukuro?"

There was an unhappy noise on the other end. "Am I bloodthirsty, Tsunayoshi?"

"Yes, yes, aside from Kyouya-san you're probably the most bloodthirsty Guardian. Are we done?"

"Really? You think I'm that bad?"

"Mukuro, it's almost three in the morning. I need to _wake up_ tomorrow morning, so I have neither the time nor the patience to feed your sadistic ego right now." With that, he hung up.

* * *

_Thursday, Outskirts of Namimori Area _

_Kokuyo Land, 2:42AM_

"He's so mean…" Mukuro sighed, laying back down on the old couch, sinking into its spring-lacking cushions. He fingered a set of scratches along the side of the armrest that Ken had made a few weeks earlier.

"Maybe I should be acting more akin to my apparent constant bloodthirst, then…"

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Town_

_Sawada Household, 4:14AM_

Tsuna growled as he picked up his phone. "Mukuro, I swear-"

"Tsunayoshi! Are you alright?"

Tsuna crinkled his eyebrows. "Coyote Nougat-san? Why are you calling so late?"

"Thank goodness, you seem to be fine. Tsunayoshi, you must return to Palermo at once. Bring your guardians. There is no time to waste. You are in danger."

Tsuna stumbled out of bed as Reborn entered, probably having heard the Ninth Storm Guardian's name. He took the phone from Tsuna.

"Coyote, calm down… Slow down, tell me what happened…"

Tsuna's heart dropped as he watched Reborn's expression darken, eyes wide. He thanked the man on the other line and turned to Tsuna. "Pack light and call everyone. We're heading to Sicily."

"_Why?_ Will you tell me what's going on?" Tsuna demanded, Lambo having crawled into his arms, hushing the crying child.

Reborn didn't bother to lower his fedora. The look on his face was clear.

Anger. Grief. Urgency.

"We need to get to Headquarters. The Ninth's been poisoned."


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Lunakatsuma, Kanako Arichi, xXxMetalPancakesxXx, blizzard 10, so many others, and HOLY MOTHER THERE ARE STILL NEW READER-SAMAS! Thanks to everyone that reads and everyone that reviews, and people like Preppy-Stealthy-Ninja that still review the first chapter. Before I literally die of happiness, let's get on with this. **

**...I think I'll be apologising and apologising for many chapters to come, reader-samas. Enjoy, but please tell me if you don't.**

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 9AM_

"Since they were unprepared, the Decimo and his Guardians had to make do with commercial flights.

Decimo himself will arrive in Palermo with Reborn in the next few hours, they are currently at the airport in Naples transferring. The Rain and Mist Guardians are currently still in the air, and will arrive in Zurich, Switzerland later today. The Storm Guardian is touching down as we speak in Rome, and will be in Sicily by the end of the day.

The Sun and Lightning Guardians were delayed in boarding their flight, and were scheduled onto another that should have taken off approximately twenty minutes ago. The Cloud Guardian is… in Malta? Did I read that right? Yes, Malta… Ah, yes, that makes sense; from there he can take a ferry into Sicily and make his way up to Palermo."

Ganauche III, Nono's Lightning Guardian, gave his personal squadron a hard look. "With the Tenth Generation all over, we will have to be more efficient than ever. As of now, Timoteo's life is held in the hands of our doctors, but those of his heir and his heir's Guardians are in ours. This is the kind of job that can be assigned to the Varia main squad, but seeing they are absent you must do just as good a job in their stead."

The men and women nodded. They were packed and ready to travel however they needed to, to intercept the Tenth Generation and assure their safe routes into Sicily.

"Branch One, you will wait at the airport here to receive the Decimo and Reborn. Branch Two, you will track down the Storm Guardian and hasten his journey with one of our private planes. Branch Three, take a plane to Zurich and wait for the arrival of the Rain and Mist Guardians, and take another of our planes there to come back.

Branch Four, the Sun and Lightning Guardians will arrive in Naples around eight tonight. Take your time to make your way there, and escort them back when they arrive. I will go and fetch the Cloud Guardian; I hear he's a handful… The rest of you stay here to manage the accuracy of our information and work as messengers. I'm relying on you all. Dismissed."

* * *

_Thursday, Russian Airspace_

_Commercial Plane, approximately five hours after taking off from Kansai International Airport _

"Mukuro-sama… Are you okay?"

"Hm? Yes, just sleepy. I didn't sleep a wink last night."

"Let's take a nap together then! There's not much to do on this plane anyway, na?"

"...I understand why Gokudera is always yelling at you now, after spending a few hours sitting next to you."

"Aw, come on, you said you're sleepy right?"

"No."

"Mukuro-sama… maybe it's a good idea… you have bags under your eyes."

"…Seriously? Bags? That bad?"

"So let's take that nap! Haha, I brought a blanket!"

"…Mukuro-sama, what's wrong?"

"It's blue."

"Well, blue's kinda my favorite color. It even matches my flames! Crazy, huh? You know, this one time I accidentally set my curtains on fire with my flame, and now my dad thinks I'm a closet pyromaniac! By the way, what's a pyromaniac? Is it a person that really likes pies? I like pies!"

"…The idiocy…"

"Anyway, nap?"

"Your blanket's blue."

"What's wrong with blue?"

"It's not indigo. It's a cheap imitation of the regal color that is indigo."

"Isn't it the other way around? I mean, every little kid knows what blue is, right? Not all of them know indigo. Haha, what're you standing up for?"

"The opinions of kids do not matter! Indigo is indigo and blue is a cheap indigo!"

"Ano, Mukuro-sama…"

"Aw, come on, let's just take a nap, and you'll be less cranky for it!"

"I am not cranky!"

"Mukuro-sama…"

"Haha, come on, Mukuro, people are starting to look!"

"That's exactly why I'm saying no!"

"Mukuro-sama…"

"What is it, Chrome?"

"…You didn't put on a belt when we left home. Your… pants have fallen down. People are taking pictures."

"Haha, it's true! I didn't even notice! Nice boxers, the pineapples are cute!"

"…Give me that blanket."

* * *

_Thursday, Rome_

_Random alley, approximately 10AM_

Gokudera Hayato blew out a breath of smoke and cursed for three reasons.

One, the Vongola was under some seriously dangerous circumstances.

Two, most of the enemies he had made in the Italian capital were still around, most of them more dangerous than ever.

And three- he had promised the Tenth that he would quit smoking.

A mother and her child passed by, and when she spotted the silver-headed Mafioso leaning against the wall, cigarette in hand, she quickly avoided eye contact and hurried her kid along.

"Che. Where are those damn Lightning Squadron agents…"

Once he was done with his cigarette, he put it out neatly on the ground and slung his backpack over his shoulder.

He barely made it two steps before he ran into someone he knew.

"Well if it isn't Smokin' Bomb Ha-GUH!"

A few more thumps and cracks and Gokudera continued on, leaving behind a small pile of bodies. Like he hadn't just incapacitated a Don and his closest subordinates with his hands in his pockets and without lighting a single bomb.

Whistling as he went, Gokudera was quickly reminded of why he detested Rome. It was far too difficult to move around quickly when practically the entire city wanted to kill you.

* * *

_Thursday, Japanese Airspace_

_Commercial Plane, approximately half an hour after takeoff from Kansai International Airport_

"Lambo-san is bored! Lambo-san wants candy! Play with Lambo-san!"

Ryohei had a tough time trying to capture the kid as he dashed from one stranger to another, demanding and announcing one obnoxious thing after the next. The passengers of the plane took this one of two ways.

Either:

"Aw, you're so cute! Here, I have some strawberry candies."

"Thank you, nice lady! Lambo-san likes grape best but strawberry is nice too!"

"Kya! Can I take a photo with you?"

Or:

"Get away from me, you disgusting thing! You over there! Have better control over your child!"

"I'm very sorry madam! But he extremely isn't-"

"This is what is wrong with the world! Teenage parents like you should be ashamed!"

"He _extremely_ isn't my kid!"

"Lambo-sama is much more handsome than Ryohei! You _wish_ you were my father!"

When the boxer finally did capture the kid and managed to sit down, he was quite tired. "And I had extremely thought you had extremely grown up already… but once Sawada is gone you act exactly like you did before! Extremely uncool!"

Lambo pouted and head-butted Ryohei in the chin, getting out of his lap and back into his own seat to enjoy the candy he had managed to get. "I am _so_ different! I thank people for things and have much more awesomer comebacks for insults now!"

Ryohei gave the kid a weary look. He sure _looked_ like he was more mature, with his neatly cut curls and taller body, but is seemed that in the end Lambo never really changed.

* * *

_Thursday, Valletta_

_Streets near the harbor, approximately 12PM-2PM_

The Vongola Cloud Guardian was really getting a headache from having to exercise the Italian he had learnt that one summer so many months ago. Even asking around for where the ferries took off from had been a hassle- trying to get onto one as soon as possible without a booking would be hell.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, trying to ignore the people staring at him, he drew in his gakuran and slung his bag onto his shoulder, and pushed on.

What made it worse was that not all the people understood Italian either. Those that didn't usually just stared at him, maybe said a couple of words he couldn't understand in what he assumed to be Maltese, or just smiled and pointed him to a nearby shop or information centre.

He appreciated the last kind of response most, mainly because it was the most helpful, as the staff in shops and such centers usually spoke Italian.

When he did finally make his way onto a ferry, however, he was exhausted. And hungry. In a quite irritable state, he received a text message that he would be met in Catania, Sicily by the Vongola Ninth Lightning Guardian. He replied immediately, Italian flowing from his brain near effortlessly after his ordeal in Malta.

'If you don't want to die, prepare me a giant steak and a comfortable chair. I'm not in a good mood.'

Ganauche at first wondered if he had accidentally texted Xanxus, but then simply sighed and praised his own foresight. His poor Lightning Squadron didn't deserve to have to deal with this one.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 1PM_

Tsuna heaved a large sigh as Reborn closed the doors behind them. The young heir managed to walk a couple paces before slumping into the wall and sliding down.

Reborn sat down beside his charge. "He's alive. That's what matters for now."

"But he's still in danger if they can't find the antidote. How did they let this happen? Isn't this mansion meant to be one of the most closely guarded secrets on earth?"

"Before the Crib incident, they also thought that Vongola HQ was impregnable," Reborn replied. "As for how it happened, they say they've caught the culprits and are currently interrogating them in the HQ's prison, so I guess we'll find out soon."

Tsuna looked up sharply. "They've caught them already? What Family are they from? Can't we just get the antidote off them?"

"As of right now, it seems they are denying everything. They won't say a peep."

Tsuna buried his fists in his hair; feeling like he was running into dead ends one after the other, getting frustrated. "What are they after? If they were looking to end the line, it should've been me targeted, not the Ninth…Did he make enemies with someone?"

Reborn sighed and grabbed Tsuna's head by his hair, slamming it gently into the wall. Or as gently as Reborn could. "Stop your yammering, it's not helping anyone. The best we can do right now is calm down and take care of Family affairs while the Ninth and his Guardians are busy."

"But-"

"This is not Japan, Tsuna. Sitting here and moping instead of working is no more respectable than going out and partying while the Ninth's so troubled."

"…Fine."

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo _

_Vongola Property, approximately 2:30PM_

There was a less-than-happy redhead slicing through the forest at hummingbird speeds as he leapt from tree to tree, brown trench coat undone and flapping slightly behind him. No, this particular redhead was somewhat livid that day.

His feet barely touched the trunks and branches for whole seconds as he sprung himself off them, consistently moving forward. His movements were clean and efficient, smooth with practice and sharp with agitation.

As the Vongola Headquarters came into view, the man's jaw clenched tighter ever so slightly.

No one accused his kin so carelessly without there being consequences.

His mind raced as he slowed down, giving himself more time to think out a game plan. There was no way what they had said was true- there was no way that _they_ would actually do such a thing.

The man came to a complete stop as he started thinking things through. Even if _he_ knew that, there was no way to prove it. Before he went in raging like an angry bull, he needed some way to help them.

The redhead pulled his coat around himself and did it up properly, before turning back to go the way he had come. He would need to collect a few things first.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, 4:16PM_

Tsuna put a hand to his face as yet _another_ messenger boy was carried off in a stretcher. The Decimo gave Reborn a dirty glare as the hitman opened up the manila packet and perused the contents as if he hadn't just made the fifth messenger that day faint upon entry to Tsuna's makeshift office in the spare study.

"I told you _not_ to make eye contact. We still pay for the hours they spend in the infirmary passed out!"

If he were still in infant form, Reborn would have pouted. As he wasn't, he settled for a pleading look. "It is not my fault that the young workers' cardio-pulmonary system can't handle a simple '_Buon giorno'._"

"You know what- just don't talk to them. Don't talk to anyone in the service pay bracket. Don't talk to the messengers; don't talk to the secretaries, don't talk to the maids, hell, don't even talk to the butlers. Understood?"

Reborn sighed, tilting his fedora down. "Fine."

Tsuna let out a breath in exasperation, running a hand through his hair as he returned to his _absolute favorite _pastime- paperwork. "Just stop exerting weird pheromones everywhere. Save them for Seiji-san, geez."

"I've _told_ you that we're not in that kind of relationship!"

"What color is his favorite pair of boxers?" Tsuna prompted.

"He wears boxer-briefs, and they're blue," Reborn replied without a beat.

There was silence. Tsuna stared.

"We used to live together, that's not that big of a deal."

"What's the first thing he does in the morning?"

"Turns on his side and stretches."

"How does he like his eggs for breakfast?"

"Scrambled, light on the seasoning."

"How many blankets does he sleep with at night?"

"Trick question, he sleeps with a duvet."

Tsuna put down his pen, crossed his arms, and stared.

Reborn blinked back. "What?"

"Seriously?"

"He's- I'm- It's not that way! Tell me, Tsuna, ever heard of the term 'close friendship'?"

"I don't know about you, Reborn, but I generally don't know what kind of underwear my friends wear."

"What about that sleepover last year?"

"That was _one _time. And I still don't know their _favorite _pair of underwear. Except for Mukuro, but everyone knows he wears pineapple boxers."

Reborn sighed. "Fine. If that's what you want to think, think it. Just know that you'll be at the mercy of Seiji's twisted sense of humor if you do."

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters Underground Level, approximately 7PM_

Pale hair was speckled with blood as the whip cracked down again, but with no satisfying cry to be heard.

"Da _quale _famiglia tu sei?" the man barked again for the umpteenth time that day.

The figure chained to the wall remained silent, not a single sound escaped from his lips. The man sneered, raising his whip again. There was another crack.

Again, he asked what Family they were from. No answer.

Why they had poisoned the Ninth. No answer.

How they had done it. No answer.

There hadn't been a single response uttered for the last fifteen hours. Any resemblance that the rags on the prisoner's body bore to his original clothes were drowned in a bath of scarlet.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 10PM_

Tsuna and his Guardians sat in the small meeting room, moods somber.

"They're still trying to figure out an antidote. It's a rare poison, and while slow-working, is definitely deadly," Reborn continued. "The captured culprits are still refusing to reveal any information about it, so we can do nothing but sit and wait."

Gokudera huffed in frustration. "Let's go and beat up those criminals ourselves! The methods the interrogators are using obviously aren't working!"

Mukuro sighed. "When it comes to things like this, one could really mourn the fact that Yukimura and Aoshima are not a part of our family. Torture and interrogation is their backyard."

Tsuna shook his head vehemently. "We're not getting innocent citizens involved in our business," he said authoritatively.

Reborn nodded. "Tsuna's right. Seiji would have my head on a pike if we involved his darling daughter."

"Innocent? _How?_" Mukuro muttered.

Suddenly a messenger burst into the room, falling onto his knees, panting for breath. "Master Sawada! The-the prisoners say they'll talk if you go see them! Hurry! The head interrogator is getting impatient, and I'm afraid he might- he might-"

Tsuna was already blasting past the boy out the door, sprinting down the hallway with Reborn hot on his heels. The Guardians looked at each other, the messenger boy, and then flew out of their seats after their Boss.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters and Vongola Headquarters Underground Level, approximately 10PM _

They raced down the stairs, taking them several at a time, Mukuro picking up Chrome bridal style as she couldn't keep up.

"If- if I can get them to talk, we might be able to get the antidote!"

"Run faster, dame-Tsuna! The Vongola Head of Interrogation isn't known for being patient or gentle. They might not be _able_ to talk if he loses his composure."

They burst through a frustratingly high number of doors, startling staff and Family members alike, as they made their way down to the underground prison. Finally they came to a steel door, Reborn opening it with his fingerprint, and they rushed into the darkness.

Once their eyes adjusted, they were presented with rows upon rows of empty cells. Chrome gasped and covered her nose with her sleeve, eyes watering slightly. "What is that smell…"

Mukuro was concerned by a different scent. "There is a _lot_ of blood- both old and fresh. Hurry."

The Vongola Tenth Generation screeched to halt in front of the only open cell, where two interrogators were visible, standing in front of two slim figures chained to the wall by their wrists, drenched in a sickly maroon and scarlet mess.

Tsuna's eyes widened as he watched, motionless, as the interrogators noted his presence and moved away from their prisoners, bowing to him with their whips tucked behind them.

The prisoners were almost unrecognizable with the state of their clothing and hair- some chunks of both scattered around the room. The two pairs of metallic eyes looked up at him emotionlessly, their hair undone, messed up and bloody, looking like a pair of fallen angels turned into madmen from Hell.

"You- you two…"

"You know them?" One of the interrogators laughed. "Perfect! Tell us their names and their affiliation, and we'll take care of the rest!"

Tsuna gulped. None of his Guardians dared to say a word. Even Reborn was silent.

Tsuna replied with a tone of disbelief in his voice, as if he were confirming it to himself as well.

"A-Aoshima Kiyoshi and Yukimura Suzume. Namimori Gakuen… Student Council."


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Reader-samas, Lunakatsuma, Kanako Arichi, xXxMentalPancakesxXx and the rest, I think I'll just let you cary on to this chapter. **

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters Underground Level, 10:35PM_

Aoshima and Yukimura were strapped into metal chairs bolted to the ground of the interrogation room, having been freshly cleaned up so their skin was again recognizable, only for the over-tightened straps to turn it purple.

Tsuna, Reborn, and one of the interrogators- the one that spoke Japanese- were the only people in the room, everyone else watching from the other side of the glass. It wasn't even the reflective kind- the disbelief and confusion on all the Guardian's faces were plain as day.

"Yukimura-san… What's going on?"

Aoshima spoke first. "To get one thing clear, we don't know either. We didn't poison your Don."

The interrogator gritted his jaw and brought down the leather strap in his hand on the silver-headed boy's face. "You dare to lie before the Decimo! Evidence doesn't lie!"

To Tsuna's mild surprise, the painful-sounding strike only made Aoshima growl in exasperation.

"Can you stop hitting me for _one goddamned second?"_ the silver-headed boy spat at the interrogator. His long hair, that had been as distinguishing to him as Kusakabe's pompadour, had been hacked at all over the place, recently run under a hose while cleaning him up for the presence of the Vongola Decimo, and then roughly dried with a towel. It gave him quite the madman look that matched the venom in his tone.

"For goodness' sakes, I talk, you hit me, I don't talk, you hit me. How do you expect to get any facts straight if you'll only listen to what you want to hear?"

The interrogator could do nothing but glare- partly because the damned kid had a point, and mainly because the Vongola Decimo was giving him the scariest look he had ever seen in his long career as an interrogator. Scratch that, the scariest look he had ever seen in his life as a Mafioso. And this particular interrogator used to be an executioner.

Aoshima turned back to Tsuna. "I'm so sorry that we've wasted your time like this, but you should really start searching again as soon as possible. That poison sounds pretty serious."

Tsuna was absolutely in turmoil on the inside, only keeping his composure for the sake of his Family. Luckily Reborn spoke up.

"You there. What is the evidence against these two?"

It was the interrogator's turn to look professional. He retrieved a file from the other interrogator, outside the door, and put it in front of the Decimo.

"At approximately 7:30PM Nono was found feverish in his office. At 8PM it was confirmed that he had been dosed with a poison belonging to the recently dissolved Fortezza Famiglia, and the grounds were immediately searched.

These two were found on Vongola grounds, leaving, at around 9:30PM. The girl had traces of grassy scents on her, and was confirmed to have Battaglia blood. The Battaglia were allied with the Fortezza before the Battaglia's dissolution, and so she has motive to get back at the Vongola by joining forces with surviving Fortezza members. The timing, evidence, and motive all matches up. They are the culprits without a doubt," the interrogator concluded smugly.

The one hit hardest by this information in the room, was, surprisingly, Reborn. Everything sunk into place with the pace of an ocean liner dropped into a puddle. For a few moments, there was silence in the room as Reborn stared at the summary of evidence that the interrogator had just recited.

Finally, the hitman spoke. "I personally dissolved the Battaglia Famiglia over thirty years ago. I remember everything from that time." Yukimura looked up at him, expression unreadable.

"The Fortezza had recently abandoned the Battaglia and it was the perfect time to strike. It is true that I was… unable to complete that job, but all survivors were then taken care of by the Fortezza themselves." Reborn looked up at the silent Yukimura, and then at the interrogator.

"Even if she is a Battaglia like you have confirmed- no, _especially_ if she is a Battaglia descendant, there is no chance that she would be able to obtain anything even close to Fortezza poison. How and why would she cooperate with the people that killed her mother?"

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 2:31AM_

Reborn was sitting in his room, still absorbing the information from the few hours earlier.

The evidence against Yukimura and Aoshima was currently under review, and so the two were to stay in the Vongola prison until more convincing culprits could be found, much to Tsuna's displeasure. The young Decimo had almost thrown a hissy fit at the Head of Interrogation, had Reborn not held him back.

That evidence that had been presented… it revealed a lot of information about Yukimura and Aoshima's backgrounds to Reborn. It was almost too much to take in at once.

It was a strange coincidence that one of the subjects of Reborn's inner turmoil happened to call at that moment. Snapped out of his daze, he furrowed his eyebrows at the caller ID and answered.

"Seiji?"

"_Reborn._"

Oh merda. He was mad.

"What are you calling for?" Reborn said carefully.

"I heard about what happened, Reborn. _I'm coming to Sicilia_." The line went dead.

Reborn stared at the phone.

He wasn't a religious man, but perhaps it was high time to consider converting.

"Dio, abbia pietà della nostre anima."

Because at the point that Seiji's voice lowered into that slurred hissing, all the latter really could do was hope that the Eleventh Hour theory pulled through, and the Father _could_ take pity on their souls.

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, 6:36AM_

The guard on duty was a no-nonsense, tall, slim man donning sunglasses and a tailored penguin suit. As a Vongola Guard, he held much pride in being unflappable.

He glanced at his watch, confirming that there were yet no deliveries due.

So one could imagine his surprise when a tall redheaded person in a coat and sunglasses with a large duffel bag slung over their right shoulder and a metallic briefcase in their left hand arrived at the door asking politely to see Coyote Nougat.

He took a moment to take a mental breath from the long sentence.

"Er, how should I refer to you, miss? We are not allowed to simply let you walk in, you see…"

There was a brief, awkward silence before the androgynous stranger pulled down their sunglasses and held an intimidating gaze with the guard with their brilliant yellow irises.

"...Would you like help with your luggage?"

"Just tell mister Nougat that Autunno is dropping by."

There was silence as the unflappable guard was… flapped. Long red curls? Feminine. Yellow eyes? Could be either. Height? Masculine. Slim waist? Probably feminine. Voice? Could be either as well...

The redhead sighed, watching the guard become more and more confused the more he tried to figure out whether he should introduce the guest as a man or woman. Pushing past the dazed guard and briefly putting down the duffle sack, he let himself into the headquarters' back door with a couple of wriggles of his lockpicking set.

As he rolled the duffle bag in and shut the door behind him, he sighed.

"And for once I was trying to be polite…"

Picking up the duffle again, Yukimura Shinichi made his way to the Headquarters' main office.

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, 6:55AM_

"Nougat! Your doorman is useless."

The Ninth Storm Guardian almost fell out of his chair as the office door was kicked open, to reveal one of the aging man's worst nightmares.

Yukimura Shinichi, also known as Yukimura Autunno or 'Autumn', was a twenty-four year old Mafioso known as being… in plain words, one hell of an errand boy. He did everything from picking up coffee from the other end of the country to assassinating your neighbor.

What was the real concern was that he was one hell of a _good_ errand boy. And he pledged to no Family. Even the strength of Reborn, tied to the Vongola, wasn't as unnerving as the simple efficiency of this Autumn who was loyal to none, going through jobs at the speed of a harsh gale and changing masters like the leaves changed colors.

Coyote had enlisted this unpredictable man's help countless times before-there was no denying that his speed in completing jobs was second to none. But this meant that the Ninth's right hand had also experienced countless times how just how quickly the young man went through jobs- one minute he was handing you a document, the next he was stealing it back on the request of an enemy Famiglia.

It had happened before. Three times.

"Don't get too agitated, I'm working for myself this time." He set the briefcase on the desk. "Here's the antidote for the Ninth." And then he set the duffle bag on the desk as well, and opened it to reveal a panicked-looking middle-aged man. "And here's the doctor to administer it. Could you please release my baby sister now?"

"Antidote- baby sister- what?"

"Did you really think I'd let a Yukimura be treated like this, Nougat?"

Eyes widened. A phone was picked up.

"Get them out. _Now_. If you don't want to _die_."

Shinichi smiled pleasantly.

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 7AM_

"They cut your hair."

"Mn."

Yukimura Suzume was sitting on a worn leather couch, dressed in borrowed clothes and drinking hot soup. Hibari Kyouya and Sawada Tsunayoshi sat on either side of her. Aoshima Kiyoshi sat across from her on the opposite couch, similarly surrounded by Rokudo Mukuro and Chrome Dokuro.

"What are you going to do?"

She shrugged.

So far the only one that had been talking were, surprisingly enough, Hibari and Yukimura.

Tsuna bit his lip as his eyes wandered over her messy hair, uneven in length and chopped up all over the place. The longest locks reached her knees, but the shortest barely brushed her ears.

Aoshima sighed. "It wasn't just hair, it was a precision weapon that you've now lost. Feel free to look more upset."

At that moment, a tall redhead barged through the door with Ganauche III on his heels.

"…Yeah, well it was a damn big mistake. You'll be paying compensations until you retire," the redhead spat before turning to Suzume.

Shin ran a hand through his little sister's hair and frowned. Not the kind of 'oh this is a shame' frown, but the 'someone is going to pay with their life' frown.

"See this? She's been growing it since she was born. It was a completely one-of-a-kind weapon she spent her life mastering. That alone is enough for me to bleed the Vongola bone dry."

"Ani… Not that much."

"…Almost bone dry, then?"

"Ani."

Shin sighed. He gave Ganauche a look. "You're lucky my Suzume is a gentle soul. I expect enough money to buy out a Famiglia's worth of weaponry in my Swiss by this afternoon."

Ganauche ran a hand through his hair. "That's got to be at least-" a look from Shin silenced him. He sighed, nodded, and exited the room.

The redhead turned back to his sister and sighed. "If you're going to get in this much trouble, at least get paid for it. I hear that dad's coming in from home as well. He's going to be _so_ mad."

For the first time since leaving the prison cell, Suzume seemed to loosen up a little bit as she put her head in her hands. "I know. I just hope that no one dies."

Shin didn't laugh, but instead bit his lip and smirked. "That's a bit of a long stretch, don't you think, Suzu?"

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 1PM_

It was a great relief to see the Ninth up and around again, even if he was walking around in a robe, dogged every two steps by his concerned right-hand.

He invited the Tenth Generation, Shin, Suzume, and Aoshima to lunch with him. He had insisted that he would recover faster after seeing them.

"My dear children, I can only imagine the injustices you've suffered. You have my deepest apologies."

Suzume and Aoshima shifted uncomfortably in their seats as they bowed slightly with their heads.

"And Tsuna- I'm so sorry to have you come all the way here. With the Fortezza survivors still at large, you would have been so much safer in Japan."

"Ah- no, we're all just glad to see you're okay, Kyuudaime."

Shin cleared his throat. "About those Fortezza survivors, actually. They won't be 'survivors' for long. I tried to explain the situation to my father the best I could, and when he hung up he still sounded pretty pissed off. He's probably going to take it out on them."

Coyote shook his head. "There's no fear of that- we've been searching for hours for the survivors and couldn't find them. Your father will hopefully calm down before he does."

At that moment there was a crash on the other side of the headquarters and screaming.

There was silence as Reborn sat up, patted his mouth with a napkin, and smiled a bit. "Well look, there he is now."

Eyes went back to Shin. Who shrugged. "Hey. At least _I _used a door."

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters Underground Level, 2:30PM_

Shin snapped one of his many cellphones shut. "Reborn says that he'll take my father away to calm down for a while first. Otherwise he might actually go on a massacre."

Coyote Nougat no longer doubted Shin's words. He had seen Yukimura Seiji himself earlier. When he had seen Suzume's hair and the welts visible across her arms, Reborn had been the only one able to stop him from brutally murdering the Head of Interrogation, rather literally.

"According to Reborn, the last time he'd seen him this angry, a Famiglia disappeared each night for three weeks."

Coyote paled a bit at the mention of the twenty-one day Winter Massacre. Damn it, of all the 'families' to piss off, they _had_ to choose the Yukimura.

Shin read his expression easily. "Well, next time you should really think before nabbing my baby sister and her best friend when they're visiting graves here. Kiyoshi is the son of a Superbia, and therefore a Vongola by extension. They have perfect reason to be on your grounds."

Shin had realized that the aforementioned pair were trying their hardest not to snap and blame the Vongola for everything that had happened. Those welts on their arms went all over their bodies.

"Well, at least now we've got the real culprits. I would have preferred to capture all the survivors, but for now this is as good as anything."

They looked in to where the Head of Interrogation was sitting on a stool in front of two chained-up men. So far they had said nothing, but that could be attributed to the trauma of being kidnapped by Yukimura Seiji and brought to the Vongola Headquarters.

"Coyote Nougat-san," Suzume said softly.

"Hm?"

"Give us two minutes with the prisoners. We can get them to talk within that time."

Nougat looked at the two curiously. "This isn't really a job for children-"

Aoshima snorted slightly. "Oh, so we're children when it suits you and criminals when it doesn't? Two minutes, Nougat-san. We have a bone to pick with these people as well."

Reluctantly, he let the pair enter the prison cell. The Tenth Generation and Coyote watched as Suzume asked the Interrogator to be prepared to start writing, as Aoshima pulled down the black screen to hide the inside of the cell from their sight.

It was an awkward wait as Coyote kept time on his watch. It was a long silence as seconds ticked by.

At one minute exactly there was screaming. "Dio!" and "Abbia pietà!" was heard.

At one minute thirty seconds there was again silence.

At one minute fifty-five seconds, the black screen was released, revealing two traumatized prisoners talking at the Interrogator with everything they had, who himself looked somewhat shaken.

At two minutes exactly Aoshima and Suzume exited the room looking content.

Mukuro smirked as Coyote watched the prisoners spilling information about their plans, locations, motives, even their own weaknesses, in wonder. The illusionist chuckled.

"I told you this was their backyard, did I not?"

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6PM_

Shin internally snorted as he watched the night's feast being laid out. He didn't need to turn to know that the current Vongola Storm Guardian was watching his every move, for multiple reasons.

"Nougat, you know that a fancy dinner and some petty cash won't wipe your slate clean, right?"

"Autunno-"

"You have displeased the wrong people, Nougat. You're lucky that the Varia is in Russia, as well. If Superbia Squalo heard about what you did to his precious little cousin… well, you and I both know that he doesn't have nearly as much self control as we do."

"We had no idea who they were when we captured them," Nougat insisted.

"Well, I'll tell you then. Yukimura Suzume, youngest child of Yukimura Seiji, the Prince of Winter, and Battaglia Simonetta, who would have been the sole heir to the Battaglia Famiglia had it not been dissolved by the Vongola and she herself, from what we have gathered, murdered by the Fortezza."

Coyote didn't interrupt the silence that followed.

"Aoshima Kiyoshi, only son of Superbia Celestino, the late Chief of the Vongola Information Network, and Aoshima Jun, the White Egret. Both also killed by the Fortezza men years ago. _These two_ are the ones you accused of working with the Fortezza survivors and poisoning your beloved Ninth."

Coyote coughed, and didn't even try to form a response.

"It was bad enough that you supposedly 'caught' them during a grave visit, but you then accuse them of something so ridiculous and physically beat them when they told the truth. It makes me very, very angry, Nougat."

More silence.

"I'm not like my father. I am not Winter, I am not a delicate artist that takes his time and detail with his work, like the forming of a snowflake or icicle. I am Autumn, and I like to do things fast and harsh. The moment I get the opportunity to get back at you, I will."

"…Autunno, please, it was an honest mistake. There is no need-"

Shin whirled around to face the older man with yellow irises thinned to a band.

"_You have made enemies with the Yukimura. Feel glad that we will stop short of murder in sight of your Decimo's kindness of heart. But you have angered the wrong people, Vongola, and that is something you cannot reverse."_


	19. Chapter 19

**A/N: Dear beloved reader-samas and the always-worthy-of-mention Lunakatsuma- I am so sorry for the gap. And this isn't even a proper chapter. I would go off and sob in a corner, but that would be counterproductive.**

**For once I am going to say something about the following chapter. It is not a proper chapter, but instead a collection of previously unmentioned scenes from the story so far that I figured you might want to have a look at anyway. **

**Seeing as these scenes were dubbed unusable or unnecessary for proper chapters, prepare for crack and please don't take anything too seriously. Happy New Year everyone.**

* * *

_Aftermath of the Golden Apple showdown on Athletic's Day_

Kusakabe watched his chairman carefully, in case he needed to physically restrain him from throttling the smug-looking Yukimura. Again.

"Completely unfair."

"I've told you over and over again, it was a perfectly legal move."

"There is no way that that sort of _assault_ is legal in any prefecture!"

Adelheid had long gotten over her loss, but seemed to side with Hibari. "He has a point. Can't you be charged with sexual harassment for something like that?"

Aoshima stifled a laugh. "From a woman onto a man? Try to prosecute for that in court."

Hibari still gave the Detention Chairman dirty looks. She sighed.

"Hibari. Grow up."

More glaring.

"It was your fault for catching it with your mouth!"

The glaring intensified.

"All the other pieces had fallen onto the ground, you couldn't have expected me to dig for them under all the dust!"

The Discipline Chairman stood up. "You fished it out of my mouth with your _tongue_. Have you no dignity? No modesty?"

Yukimura shrugged. "I'm half Italian."

* * *

_In the bus on the way to Ouran, middle of the night._

"Kyouya." Dino's voice pierced the darkness.

A pause.

"Kyouyaa."

Still no response.

"Kyouya, are you awake?"

Silence.

"Well then, I guess the marker will come in handy after all."

Long silence.

The sound of a pen uncapping, and a "Kyouuuu-"

"WHAT."

"Hi." A muffled giggle.

There was a crash and a loud "OW!" before things were quiet again. And then Yukimura cleared her throat.

"You know, Hibari, as much as I love waking up to bloodshed, if you wake me again, I will show you the meaning of tough love."

There was a silence.

"Well I've never met a real life yandere before," Dino said wistfully.

There was a rush of fabric and a scream.

* * *

_Aoshima's phone call _

The swordsman grumbled on the other end of the line. "So why _do_ you always come to me when you're having a bad day?"

"You really want to know?"

"…Now I'm curious."

"Well, hearing about how bad your days _always _are kinda cheers me up."

Silence.

"There's just something about listening to you rant about how many expensive wineglasses you've taken to the head so far today that just makes me feel better."

"…Screw you."

"But that's not going to stop you ranting, is it?"

"…All the money we had for therapy was spent on more wineglasses…"

* * *

_More of the disciplinary duo on painkillers_

"…And then he said 'I'm innocent! I swear! The key flew out of my hands and scratched the lockers by itself!'" Yukimura cackled.

Hibari laughed with her, lying down across her lap. "No, no, that's not even the stupidest one- I once had a kid tell me that I shouldn't mess with him because his daddy's in the _yakuza_. _Yakuza!_"

The two burst into hoots of laughter. "Oh, that poor kid," Yukimura giggled.

"And then this other time, this other time, I found the baseball captain and the treasurer eating face in a storage closet, and the kid told me that a snake had bitten the other one's tongue and he was sucking out the poison!"

As Hibari laughed, Yukimura furrowed her eyebrows. "Yamamoto and Gokudera?"

"Yeah, why?"

The two stared at each other for a moment, and then cracked up again.

A nurse walked in with a pleading expression. "Please, quiet down, you're disturbing the other patients."

"Hey, nurse-san! Want to hear a funny story? In our last athletics' day, I won our event because I can tie a cherry stem with my tongue!"

Hibari promptly sat up and slapped Yukimura. "We don't talk about that."

The girl rubbed her cheek and looked at Hibari incredulously. "Did you just bitch-slap me?"

* * *

_In the shipping truck after the Ouran Ball_

Fujiwara Kousuke, Student Body Presidentof Midori Boys' decided it might be time to give up on Namimori Gakuen.

As the people around him writhed and moaned about broken bones, he himself realized that if he didn't quit while he was ahead, he might not _have _bones in the future to complain about.

"Kamiyama."

"Yes sir?"

"When we get back, prepare the biggest gift basket we possibly can and send it to the Namimori Gakuen Detention Centre."

"Not the main Student Council Office?"

"Kamiyama, think about it. If Sawada Tsunayoshi decides to teach us a lesson, where would that lesson be taught?"

"…I will see if we are able to get ahold of some Belgian chocolates."

"Add some Italian wine."

"Why not some Polish vodka while we're at it?"

"German preserves."

"And French cheese."

"Hell, just send them the rest of our year's budget."

* * *

_Sometime during the third hour of the Namigaku Student Council Panel_

"I have a question for everyone. Who's the worst cook?"

By that point, the Council was too tired to be bothered asking the relevance of the question and just started answering to get it over with. Tsuna himself started.

"Hayato-kun. Sorry, but it's true." The mike was passed to the right-hand himself.

"…If kaichou says so, I guess it must be true." Yamamoto next.

"I don't know, really. I haven't tried everyone's cooking, but Hayato, yours _is_ pretty terrible."

"Shut up."

Pretty much the rest of the Council agreed, save Kyoko who didn't want to pick on anyone. Specifically Gokudera, really.

Yukimura furrowed her eyebrows when it was her turn. "Everyone's been saying Gokudera, but I personally wouldn't know much about that. Though have any of you tried Hibari's attempt at a sandwich? It's hilari-"

The Discipline Chairman had covered his fellow Chairman's mouth with a hand, other over his face as the room roared with laughter. When Yukimura broke free, all she said was-

"Seriously, Hibari, lettuce is not supposed to be fried."

* * *

_After Gokudera got Mukuro with his bombs_

Chrome Dokuro had to report that yes, the classic pineapple do of their favorite Historian _would_ survive the Vice-President's bombs.

The rest of him, however, was another story.

* * *

_After 'that' call to Reborn's cell phone_

Colonello was a soldier. He had seen some of the most horrifying things that humans could do to one another. He had witnessed the deaths of countless friends and comrades, sacrificed not little dignity and sanity for the sake of completing missions that no others would take on, and most of all, survived years upon years of training by Lal Mirch.

But yet he was huddled up in a closet, mumbling incoherently, occasionally bashing his head against the wall to get rid of mental images.

Reborn… Reborn and Yukimura Seiji…

"NO!"

Bang.

What was the most terrifying wasn't the images, however. It was the thought that… the thought that Reborn could…

"NO! THERE IS NO WAY!"

But there had been undoubted tenderness and amusement in Seiji's voice…

"Impossible…" Colonello whimpered.

After fighting and yelling so much, they had actually been...

All along?

"NO! THERE IS NO WAY REBORN CAN BE A TSUNDERE!"

* * *

_The morning before the grave visits_

"Hold _still!"_

"I _am_ holding still! You're the one pulling so hard!

"Gah!"

Yukimura Shou watched in wonder as Aoshima skillfully dealt with his sister's ocean of hair. It was so much hair that after it was dried and combed out, when she sat at the vanity, it flowed all the way back over to the foot of the bed.

The pair had woken up at five in the morning to wash her hair, mainly because she didn't use hairdryers as they weakened the strands- and her hair, as Suzume would say, was first and foremost a weapon, thus the strands needed to be strong.

Aoshima had two pieces of hair in each hand, a comb in his mouth, and various other pieces of hair held by Suzume or held down on the vanity with paperweights. A large silvery comb was between the silver-head's teeth as he moved his whole body to weave Suzume's hair.

"Um… would you like some help?"

"It's okay," Aoshima said through the comb. "I would ask you to hold some strands, wbut then I might forget which ones are which."

Shou sweat-dropped as Aoshima then moved his head forward to run the comb through a particular part of the hair. While it was still in his teeth.

* * *

_That night that Reborn had been 'out'_

"Hey, Reborn. You know what we should do?"

Reborn looked down to Seiji in his lap, the shorter man's face flushed slightly from drinking, and sighed. "What?"

"We should go swimming."

The taller snorted, pulling his fedora back up to reveal his eyes, and the blatant drunk flush on his cheekbones. "It's the middle of the night. Why do you want to go swimming, anyway?"

"I'm really hot," Seiji complained, fanning himself with his shirt. "Well, I guess we could do something else to take care of that…"

Seiji sat up and looked Reborn in the eye.

The man gulped. "Let's go swimming."

Seiji leapt up and cheered. "I didn't think the fridge would fit both of us anyway."

* * *

_Yukimura Shinichi 'collecting a few things'_

Thump.

Crack.

Scream of terror.

_Girlish _scream of terror.

Another crack.

And whoosh, the doctor fell into the sac.

Shin looked around with a small smile and bowed to the pile of bodies. "Now, if you will excuse me, I am in quite a hurry."

One of those still conscious tried to snap a photo of who he supposed was a professional hitman as he walked off with the sack and the briefcase. He choked when nothing but the road and the trees showed up. Not even a glimpse of the redhead.

The man looked back up to the deserted road out from the hideout, and paled.

"De…demone…"


	20. Chapter 20

**A/N: First thing's first, miss Lunakatsuma's review- LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT THING IT TAKES UP LIKE A THIRD OF A REVIEW PAGE! I think my heart stopped for a moment when I saw that. I can hear the medical bills going -WHOOSH-. But she wasn't the only one to leave a long review that brought me to tears of happiness- *cough* RenegadeWarrior, xXxMentalPancakesxXx *cough*. I... I sorta love you all you guys that review this thing. Really. If I don't die from heart problems then I'm going to drown in my own tears of happiness. **

**Just go on, reader-samas, before I start bawling...**

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, 9AM_

Very rarely did Seiji and Shin do much together- while being father and son, one was heavily involved in the criminal underworld while the other was trying to move away from it. The only times they even saw each other was when they visited Simonetta's grave together each year.

So perhaps it was the thickness of Yukimura blood showing when the two managed to move perfectly in synergy when taking out their anger on the Vongola's excessively large training field, the unfortunate rookies and even instructors that day mercilessly beaten down dozens by dozens.

"Shouldn't you stop that?" Mukuro asked the Ninth Mist Guardian nonchalantly, as they watched while drinking tea from the porch of the equipment storage building. "You'll probably lose half your potential men."

Bouche Croquant shrugged. "We have plenty to spare."

"I'm sure."

The two seemed perfectly content to just sit and listen to the pained screaming and fleshy thuds as they discussed how both Mukuro and Chrome would inherit Croquant's position over Earl Grey.

Inside the equipment building, Aoshima and Suzume could be seen wearing borrowed tracksuits and poring over various weapons to find the latter a temporary replacement on the Ninth's insistence. It was dangerous to wander around Sicily unarmed, especially with associations to the underworld. The pair were far less than comfortable taking aid from the Vongola, but figured they might as well humor that hopeful expression Tsuna had worn when he thought that maybe they could smooth things over after all.

In the Vongola main office, Coyote Nougat was pacing the room with the Ninth sitting calmly in his chair, watching his right-hand man sweat buckets as he tried to think of a way to appease Seiji and Shinichi. The new recruits would only entertain them for so long.

In one of the computer labs, Ganauche III and some of his men were carrying out research on Yukimura Shou for questionable reasons.

In the dining room, while polishing off the leftover roast quail from the night before's feast that was his late breakfast, Gokudera Hayato had an epiphany. He slammed his fist against his palm, yelled out a "Sou!" and ran out down the hallway.

The doors of the nursery exploded open as the Tenth Storm Guardian grabbed his fellow Sun Guardian by the hoodie and just about dragged him along the floor the whole way outside before he could gain his footing.

"What is extremely going on!"

"Your flames! I almost forgot about them since it's been so long. Your flames have the Activation factor- you can heal Aoshima and Yukimura and grow Yukimura's hair back out!"

After taking a moment to process this, Ryohei grinned like the sun he was. "THAT IS EXTREMELY AWESOME!"

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo _

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 10AM_

Suzume was sat in a chair in the middle of an empty room, still in her tracksuit, a large glass window looking out onto the courtyard the room's only distinguishing feature. Aoshima stood beside her with a couple pairs of scissors, and Ryohei was in the corner doing breathing exercises with Gokudera.

"I'm not so sure about this, Suzume. Even if we grow it back out, it'll be a completely different set of hair- we'll have to re-groom the whole thing to the exact weight and length again, and it won't be as high quality-"

"If there's a chance, I'm taking it," she interrupted him simply.

Gokudera had agreed to not wait for the return of the Varia in the next month and subsequently the return of Lussuria, to help with the flame output levels, mainly because the Vongola's animosity with the retired Prince of Winter and the very much active errand boy Autunno was giving Tsuna grey hairs. Ryohei didn't mind, so they went ahead.

Aoshima fiddled with the scissors as they waited for Ryohei to get himself prepared, trimming his own messy hair using the window as a mirror, brushing the trimmings off the waterproof material of his jacket. He had never had as much of an attachment to his hair as Suzume did, and so he figured he might as well take the opportunity to make it more manageable.

"Yosh! I am extremely ready! Aoshima! You too, get ready for some extreme trimming!"

And of course, it was at that exact moment that Coyote Nougat burst into the room, panting.

The first thing he did was stare at Aoshima.

"For I minute I thought I'd gone back in time," he muttered. "You look so much like Squalo when he was your age."

"What's wrong?" the silver-head asked, brushing off the comment.

"Oh. Right. Fortezza attack. You all need to get into the bunker."

Aoshima raised an eyebrow as the glass window behind him shattered with a giant crash.

"I'm guessing that it might be a little late for that."

Coyote barked orders into his collar as the four teenagers took on the dozen or so intruders that had just happened to use that one room they had thought was supposed to be empty to access the Headquarters.

Aoshima subtly put himself in front of Yukimura as he spun twin pairs of scissors in his hands, eying the masked attackers who warily backed into a formation when they realized that perhaps these weren't normal children.

Ryohei, already fired up from preparing to grow out Yukimura's hair, threw the first punch, adding a yell of 'EXTREME!' for good measure. Gokudera followed up with a flying kick and a few mini bombs thrown precisely in some of the Fortezza's collars, his larger explosives most likely not safe in the relatively small room.

Aoshima defended from the blows and shots in his direction easily with the long blades of the shearing scissors. He looked over to where Coyote was protecting the door, and sighed.

"Nougat-san."

"What?"

"These are _all_ Fortezza survivors?"

"Most likely. Any other Families that help the survivors of a Family that we have dissolved risks dissolution themselves."

"How many are in the building?"

"Reports say probably around four to five teams, and by judging by the size of this one that means from forty-eight to sixty."

Aoshima sweat-dropped. "Nougat-san."

"_What?"_

"Is it just me or is the Vongola terrible at dissolving?"

"Just- just _don't let them through the door_!"

At some point Yukimura got surrounded by three attackers when Aoshima was taken to the other side of the room in a spar, and she was seeing the limits of her close-combat knowledge.

When one of the attackers picked up a larger pane of glass from the broken window and brought it down towards her head, Yukimura instinctively grabbed behind her waist at lightning speed, only for her hand to meet loose hair.

Frozen for a split-second in momentary shock, it was all the time in the world for the window glass to come crashing down over her head and shoulders.

"SUZUME!"

She fell easily, but regained her senses just as quickly to make use of her position and kick two of the attackers as hard as she could in the kneecaps, effectively bringing them down to the floor as well.

The one that had crashed the glass over Yukimura, however, saw her foot coming and managed to grab it, if only just, and lifted her up by the ankle, leftover piece of glass pressed into her thigh as a threat to Nougat to leave the door.

He was only able to just cut through the track pant with it before Gokudera tackled the man to the ground and knocked him unconscious.

Yukimura fell to the ground, and sat up, before staring at the piece of glass rammed into her leg.

Gokudera turned to stare as well as Ryohei and Aoshima finished the Fortezza team off in the background.

She blinked. "Might as well get it out while I still can't feel it."

Even the Storm Guardian winced a little as she ripped the glass out, rather brutally, and patted down the material of her tracksuit to cover the bleeding area before standing.

Only to be tackled down by the last remaining Fortezza trying to escape.

"Today is _not_ my day," she muttered, as the man brought a knife to her neck as he tried to back himself to the window.

She elbowed him in the stomach, and gained a little distance, this time remembering her ruined hair before trying to grab at it.

Sensing her hesitation, the Fortezza, of all things, slapped her in the face, grabbed her by the hair, and leapt out of the broken window.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 12PM_

Tsuna was shedding hair at an alarming rate all over the dining table. Though him burying his fists in it and pulling at it so much might have had something to do with it.

"Decimo, you and your Guardians did exceptionally well in this attack. Nono is still safe, nothing was stolen, and there are minimal injuries." Coyote set a cup of coffee before the boy.

"We lost Yukimura-san! There's been no sign of her or that one Fortezza member that escaped and it's been two hours now!"

Coyote winced. "Shh. Luckily Seiji is too busy helping Reborn with status reports over at the Headquarters to notice yet, and I hired Shinichi on the spot to deal with the Fortezza members down in the prison. We have at least until nightfall to find her. Aoshima is out searching like mad, and I've sent out my own team."

"Ahh, mou! And just when Hayato-kun thought of a solution!" The young heir's head met the desk as he moaned in despair.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 7PM_

Seiji's hands slammed into the dining table as he stood up.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU _LOST_ MY DAUGHTER!"

Tsuna had long given up on the situation and was in a corner growing mushrooms- a hobby he had caught from Tamaki during the last visit to Ouran.

Tables were flipped, glassware and expensive tableware smashed, and Mafiosi cowered for their lives in the face of the famous Yukimura rage.

"_My cute little sister_…" Shin chuckled darkly. "After making her go through all of that, you let her get _kidnapped?"_

"Tadaima."

The room froze as an almost completely mud-coated, bedraggled figure revealed itself in the doorway. With hair hacked up to shoulder level and spiked all over with mud, various rips and tears all over the barely-recognizable tracksuit, and missing shoes, the figure went straight to Aoshima who stood the moment it stepped into the room.

He grabbed his own and various other people's napkins and immediately started cleaning the person's face and neck, fussing over injuries and grabbing Mukuro's drinking glass to use to clean some of them.

"…Suzume?" Shin said tentatively.

"What?" Suzume herself for some reason didn't meet Shin's eyes.

"It _is_ you…" he replied in wonder.

"I thought you were kidnapped?" Gokudera asked bluntly.

"I was. When we arrived at the Fortezza hideout, I stole these," she pulled a pair of handguns out of her waistband and dropped them on the floor, "And these-" she opened her jacket to show twin bands of magazines crossed over her torso, around her shoulders-"and escaped. And kind of finished the job my father left unfinished."

"I left that unfinished?" Seiji wondered. "Was this the underground hideout?"

"No, this one was a warehouse."

"Ah."

Crickets.

Ganauche III cleared his throat. "So let me get this straight. You were taken captive by the Fortezza survivors."

"Yes."

"You then waited until you'd arrived at the hideout, when you turned on your captors by stealing weapons and massacring them guerilla-style."

"I didn't kill, but that's about right."

"So why are you muddy?"

She blinked and looked down at her get-up. "Ah. I also stole a sniper rifle. On my way here I saw a large surviving Fortezza group so I sat in a swamp for a few hours and shot them as they dispatched in small groups for this headquarters."

Coyote shook his head vehemently. "Wait, few hours? When did you arrive at the hideout?"

"About twenty minutes after I was taken."

"And how long did it take you to escape?"

"…Maybe an hour?"

"And how long did it take you to get back to Vongola property?"

"I'm not sure. Not longer than ten minutes, probably."

Silence.

"So you sat in a swamp for seven hours sniping Fortezza fighters?"

She furrowed her eyebrows. "That's not seven hours, is it? The sun's still in the sky."

Aoshima furrowed his eyebrows. "It's seven PM, Suzume."

"Oh." She awkwardly picked up the muddy guns from the floor, seeing they were being stared at. "Then I guess so."

Aoshima frowned. "Suzume, your hair."

She fingered it and chuckled awkwardly. "I cut it. They kept grabbing me with it in the hideout, so I cut it with a rusty pipe and before I started attacking."

"Rusty pipe?"

"There wasn't much lying around…"

"It'll take even more to grow it back now…"

"Forget it," she dismissed quickly, to Aoshima's surprise. "If this is how weak I am without my hair, to the point of getting kidnapped, then forget it. What am I, Samson? I can't rely on something so easily taken off me forever. It had to go someday."

The room went silent. Yukimura Suzume, who before staked her life on her hair, was now saying something like that?

Seiji looked at his only daughter carefully. "Suzume, why did it take you a whole hour to escape?"

There was no reply.

"Suzume, what happened?"

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 11PM_

There was a light rain outside, a nice background noise to the warm lights of one of the mansion's studies, where the cleaned and fed Suzume and Aoshima sat opposite each other in their pajamas, a chessboard between them.

Suzume's injuries from the day were piled on top of her original ones- she was bandaged so tightly that she could barely walk.

For some strange reason, she had refused Ryohei's help with the injuries, on some strange basis of not wanting him to accidentally grow out her hair in the process. He had explained that with his abilities, he could only use his flames on small areas at a time, but still Suzume refused on the same basis.

Aoshima had pressed her lightly for her reasons, but when she still didn't answer, he left it and just continued to stay with her like he always did.

Seiji and Shin, on the other hand, were asking desperately every few hours, ranting and pleading. Well, the ranting and pleading was mostly Seiji, but Shin wasn't exactly too calm either.

There was a small clack and the sound of a piece falling over, followed by Suzume's light laugh. "Kiyoshi, are you playing seriously?"

"Don't make fun of me when you're the one that sacrificed her queen for a pawn."

"Pawns are the most useful pieces on the board, I've told you that before. Everyone knows that a queen is a queen, but what a pawn will become, is known only to the player. It's called the power of youth, Kiyoshi dear."

He looked up at her amused eyes, and looked back down at the board, chuckling himself as he took out the pawn closest to his side of the board. "Mn."

There was the sound of loud knocking on the main door, and the two looked at each other. They were probably the only ones up in that part of the mansion- even the maids and butlers had to sleep sometime, and that day had been particularly tiring.

The two got up and exited the study to enter the marbled floor of the area directly in front of the main door. Aoshima looked through the eyehole, raised an eyebrow, and warily opened the door.

In the doorway was a man in a dark hoodie and jeans, and it was obvious once the hood was pulled down who it was.

"Oh, I actually almost forgot about you. What are you doing here?"

The young man stared at Suzume for a moment before hugging her tightly. "Oh, you're safe! Thank God! But what happened to your hair!"

A couple minutes of Aoshima giving their surprise guest a condensed and heavily edited rundown of what they had been doing the last few days, and people had woken up because of the commotion. Tsuna, with a bedroom near the stairs, came down first, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Huh? Yukimura-san, Aoshima-san, who is this?"

"Sawada-san, meet my second brother, Shou."

Tsuna's eyes widened as he went sprinting back up the stairs, yelling something that sounded like "Oh Kami-sama, more Yukimuras!"

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 7AM_

"Tou-san! Nii-san!"

"Shou? What are you doing here?"

"…Did you forget already that I came to Japan with these two? And then they sort of went missing on me? Well, they do that sometimes anyway, but when they didn't come back by Friday night I got worried so I came looking for them."

The Ninth and his Guardians had stopped dead in the doorway, watching the three Yukimura men talk casually together. They slowly backed out into the hallway.

"Yukimura Shou," Ganauche started. "He's a Japanese shooting champion, the star of his University in both shooting and archery. We can assume that he's the one that taught Suzume how to use guns, as Seiji would never teach her."

"You've researched him?"

"There were reports of a man bearing resemblance to the Prince of Winter turning Sicily upside-down to search for a pair of teenagers. He caught our attention when he easily defeated a small Family when they tried to kidnap him with false information."

"The Yukimura bloodline is surely terrifying."

"He has a sportsman's gun license in Japan, but is not yet old enough to obtain any license even for sports in Italy. Which means he defeated that Family either completely or mostly barehanded, if he took any weapons from them."

"So he must have some skill in hand to hand as well," Coyote concluded.

They Guardians talked for another couple minutes before they noticed that their Ninth was already laughing and talking with the newest Yukimura over breakfast.

The Ninth Generation looked at each other, sighed, and entered the dining room.

Who needed social tactics when you had Timoteo?


	21. Chapter 21

**A/N: I have an email address specifically for this account. I checked it recently, and realised there was almost 300 unread messages to do with this story. I NEVER REALISED IT WAS SO BUSY! And I realised there are heaps of people that have reviewed that I haven't even MENTIONED before and I felt guilty so I'm going to do one of the things I hate the most and make... a LONG A/N.**

**Okay it's not really that epic, but this is a list of EVERYONE that's EVER reviewed, and I wish so hard that I could say that I love you to each of you individually, but I really want to get this chapter up as soon as I can, so... here's my list... of love?**

**Lunakatsuma  
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Preppy-Stealthy-Ninja**

**Guest (Not sure if the same person each time though)  
NaturalSam14  
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**I read and squeal at every review- no exceptions. So thank you all for taking your time to leave a few or a LOT OF words (Like Lunakatsuma has been doing lately and making my eyes go dry with the loss of tears) and douzo, reader-samas! Feel free to complain if it's bad, but knowing me I'll probably squeal over a complaint as well. **

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 9AM_

There were workers and Family members milling about all over the buildings fixing up the damage caused by the Fortezza survivors the day before, and even more Mafiosi swarming the underground prison to interrogate the hell out of and punish the Fortezza survivors themselves.

Tsuna and his Guardians were just as much in the thick of it as Coyote and the rest of the Ninth Guardians were, Timoteo still recovering from the poison and not allowed to take on intense work yet.

When they donned the yellow waterproof jumpsuits to work on the repairs alongside the Ninth Generation, most of the Ninth Guardians were relatively impressed by the maturity of their to-be successors, while others such as Coyote were completely blown away by those such as Gokudera's efficiency.

It was one of the first times that the Ninth and Tenth Generations got good looks at each other, the last time being the failed Inheritance Ceremony, and so Timoteo's Guardians were pleasantly surprised to discover that Tsunayoshi and his Guardians were more than capable of working in and for the Famiglia.

Due to their experience in the Student Council, the Tenth Generation communicated and managed both themselves and the workers with beyond-clockwork efficiency, at least compared to the bumbling children that most Family members expected the upcoming Tenth Generation to be before they had arrived in Sicily earlier that week.

"Mukuro, where's the glass we ordered?"

The illusionist consulted his clipboard quickly. "For the third meeting room?" The one asking nodded. "The truck left it out rested on the eastern wall. I'll get someone to bring it in."

"Watch out for the beam coming in, Decimo!"

Tsuna ducked quickly. "Hiiie! That was close! Hey, do you need help with that?"

"Gokudera, si può misurare che?" the worker pointed to the empty doorframe that needed measuring to order a door for.

"Ah, sì. As soon as I'm done here." The silver-head let the measuring tape snap back up towards his hand as he straightened, noting down the measurements of the double-door doorframe he had just measured and muttering "We'll have to commission that..."

Away from all the chaos, Hibari was standing on the roof watching as trucks came and left, workers milling about, and kept an eye on the delivered materials such as the panes of glass for the third meeting room left rested on the eastern wall.

Hibird chirped conversationally at his ear, having been making rounds every ten minutes to make sure all was in order. It was on one of these rounds that the little yellow puffball found something that distressed it.

Hibari stood and followed his bird as it flew in a swoop straight down to a basement window, hopping near it frantically to get his master's attention.

The Cloud Guardian was baffled as to what on earth could be going wrong in the basement library of all places, as all the rooms below ground level were untouched by the Fortezza invasion, and so to be honest he wasn't too surprised when he saw Yukimura Suzume curled up in a corner, head down, hands buried so tightly in her choppy hair that her knuckled were white.

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 10AM_

"I… don't know which way is up anymore," she laughed shakily.

Hibari was sat at one of the tables, Hibird sleeping near where he had his arm rested on it. Suzume was still exactly where she had been an hour ago, in that corner, curled up, but there was no way that Hibari still saw her the same way he had seen her an hour ago.

"What do you want me to do?" he said softly. Almost reluctantly.

Suzume's posture stiffened. "Please don't tell anyone. That's all I ask. They can't know."

Hibari chuckled darkly. "It all makes sense now. Why would you sit in a swamp for so long, letting your injuries fester, all for the sake of a Family that did all of this to you?" His expression then changed when he grasped the extent of Suzume's intentions. "This is a serious -"

"Please. I'll do anything. Just never tell anyone, Hibari. They _can't know_," she insisted, shuffling along on her knees to kneel at his feet. A flicker of disgust crossed the Cloud Guardian's eyes before they returned to showing his conflicted thoughts.

"Why?"

Suzume thought about her answer carefully. "…I can't ruin it for them. What's past should stay past. The truth will only cause suffering."

Grey eyes narrowed and then closed, a palm reaching up to massage his temple. Suzume made him remember things that _he_ would rather stayed in the past.

There was a long silence before he sighed. "On one condition. This Asphodel Alliance, they are plotting to take down the Vongola, correct?"

"Yes."

"Tsunayoshi's Family is of concern to me. You will let me inform them of the threat… and fight alongside us."

"You want me to join the Vongola's side?"

"Specifically, I want you to fight with me. Allow me to use you in the battles to come."

Suzume smirked a little, wiping away the remnants of tears on her cheeks. "You know that with me comes the rest of my family, so in reality with this deal you are gaining all five Yukimuras. Clever boy. Well, it's not like I have a choice. It's a deal."

As Hibari then left the room as quickly as he could, Hibird frantically following, he resisted the urge to smack his head against the nearest wall.

But hey. That was the Yukimura threat solved.

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6PM_

As the dining table was filled, with Timoteo at one end, his Guardians on his right and Tsuna and his Guardians on the Ninth's left and the rest filled by everyone else, Hibari internally groaned at the amount of talking he would have to do over that one dinner.

Explaining the Asphodel Alliance without sounding like he hadn't gotten the information from a random Fortezza prisoner was going to be difficult, considering where he _had _gotten the information from. He occasionally took small glances down at the other end of the table where Reborn, Seiji and the Yukimuras sat, with plenty of other Vongola members in between.

In simple terms, the Asphodel Alliance was a group made up of the survivors of almost every Family the Vongola had ever dissolved, with a common goal of bringing said powerhouse Famiglia down.

In reality it wasn't that simple, because the Asphodel Alliance had backing from various enemy Families to the Vongola Alliance and weren't grouped in one place, but were rather all over Italy stationed where their original Family had existed. But nonetheless they were to be recognized as one huge secret power- the underground of the underworld.

The Fortezza survivors had been but a part of this alliance, and if the survivors of just one Family had given the Vongola so much trouble, then Hibari decided that he better check if the Ninth had any history of heart conditions before telling him that the Asphodel Alliance was made up of the survivors of every Family he'd dissolved during his time as Boss _and more_.

The Asphodel Alliance was roughly eight average-sized ones like the Fortezza, nine ex-powerhouses, and about three dozen minor families- with the support of about four of the Vongola's enemy Famiglias.

So, in total a group almost five times the size of the Vongola Famiglia, the largest Family in Sicily.

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 2AM_

Reborn sat down on the edge of his student's bed, sighing. The talk at the dining table was still going on, but seeing Tsuna becoming paler by the minute, the hitman tutor had taken him up to bed early. "It could be worse. At least Timoteo is still the Don for now, so you have no direct obligation to deal with this."

After a moment, a muffled voice said from under the blanket, "But how can I not?"

With a hand on where he approximated Tsuna's shoulder to be, Reborn crossed his legs and looked up to the ceiling. "Of course. What was I thinking? But never forget that Timoteo and his Guardians are one of the longest reigning generations. They'll make it through this. Trust in them."

A small hand emerged and pulled down the edge of the blanket, and a big brown eye looked up at Reborn. "It's a group as big as the Vongola Alliance, and still growing. Can you honestly tell me that we can get out if this unscathed?"

"No one ever comes out of a battle unscathed, Tsuna. It is how we deal with the scathes that count."

There was a knock on the door. Tsuna sat up and asked who it was. When Aoshima identified himself, Tsuna granted permission to enter.

The silver-head had his cell phone in his hand and an apologetic expression.

Uh-oh.

"I have good news and bad news."

Tsuna groaned. Reborn resisted the urge to smile and said "Give him the good news first."

"The good news is that Namigaku is running fine without the core members of the Student Council. It seems that Midori Boys' has been eager to provide help to the Council members that are left in running Namigaku. I think the exact words are to 'stay in good graces' with us."

"Oh, that's great. I've been worried about that."

Reborn coughed. "And the bad news?"

Aoshima winced a little. "Well, the bad news is… some Council members didn't take our sudden disappearance well."

"…Who?"

"Uh. Our Wardens."

Uhhh-oh.

"They're coming to Italy."

And then Tsuna's heart stopped for a moment. "What?"

"Some of our Warden got worried when Suzume and I didn't arrive on the flight that we were supposed to today and when they realized we still weren't back on Monday morning- remember how we're eight hours behind?- they decided to take flights to Italy and come find us."

"Oh Dio," Tsuna moaned, palms on his temple. "How many?"

"Er. That's the _really_ bad news."

"What, five? Eight? Ten, even?"

"…All eighteen of them."

Tsuna buried his face in his hands and cried out in despair.

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6AM_

"Kiyoshi."

"Mn?"

"I've decided to join the Vongola's side against the Asphodel."

There was silence. Aoshima buttoned up his shirt in the mirror as Suzume leaned against the wall, waiting for him to be done.

"Why do you feel the need to get involved?"

There was silence.

Aoshima sighed. "Alright then. But remember that they hurt you, Suzume."

"I know."

"Remember… even back then…"

"...I know."

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 9AM_

"Suzume… why?" Shou asked softly.

Suzume was again the one standing in the background, watching her brother make use of the shooting range to ease up some of his unused skills. Wearing dark clothes with the rifle on his shoulder, standing side on to the target, Shou actually looked like he could belong right there, among the gunpowder and metal, that was so unlike his easygoing personality.

"It's something that you don't want tou-san and Shin to know, isn't it? That's why you came to me first."

"I don't want you to get involved, nii-chan, so…"

A soft bang, and there was another perfect bulls-eye in the head of the target. Shou lowered the rifle and turned to look at Suzume. He smiled. That gentle smile that told her everything was fine.

"Tell me."

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 12PM_

"If this is what you want, Suzu, then I guess… we'll drop it," Seiji sighed.

Shin stretched out over the back of his chair. "Aw, and I thought I'd have something to amuse myself with for a while as well. Can't I at least play around with Nougat for a little while longer?"

Suzume shook her head vehemently. "Sawada-san in a dear friend, and so are his Guardians. I don't want to cause so much trouble for them when they're getting so troubled with all this enemy alliance stuff already. So let's drop it, na? Onegai?"

Seiji smiled and ruffled Suzume's hair, hand lingering in it for a moment. "I've always wanted to do that. Well, if you're not angry, then there's no point in us being like that, so I guess we have no choice, ne, Shin?"

The redhead nodded. "Well, if that's really all over with then I have a pileup of jobs to do. If you're still in the country, I'll visit after I'm done."

The 'errand boy' cracked open a window and waved, leaping out and disappearing off.

Seiji also stood, but thankfully did not leap out the window as well. "Saa, then let's go home. Shizuka is probably worried for us by now."

Here Suzume bit her lip and tangled her fingers together. Shou and Aoshima gave her silent support… form the other side of the room.

Who knew what Seiji was going to do when he heard that…

"Actually, father… I want to stay."

"What for?"

"I want to… fight alongside the Vongola Family."

Silence.

"YOU WANT TO WHAT!"

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 2PM_

"Ah, it seems that Yukimura Autunno left the property earlier today. Oh, thank God."

Coyote Nougat slumped down in his chair, closing his eyes and taking a rest. He waved off the serving staff in the room and locked his door, laying down on his couch.

"Oh, that boy is going to be the death of me someday."

"I agree."

"Mm."

There was a short silence before Coyote slowly lowered his arm, to see one Yukimura Shinichi smiling over him.

"What are you after this time?"

"Deed to a house in Florence."

"You know what? Just take it. I can't bring myself to care anymore."

"Thanks, Nougat. Saves me time as well."

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 4PM_

"Intruders! Intruders on the property!"

"Is is another invasion?"

"We don't know! But if it is, it's being done guerilla style. It's a small group, but they're decimating our guards!"

"Up the defenses! Call Ganauche. Let's send out the Lightning Squadron!"

Aoshima caught Gokudera running past him in the halls. "What's going on?"

"It looks like another invasion. Eighteen intruders got past our guards-"

"Wait, eighteen?"

"Yeah, why?"

Aoshima blinked as he dragged Gokudera along the way the Storm Guardian had originally been running, muttering something along the lines of "That was _fast_."

When they passed the dining room where Reborn was trying to calm down Seiji, with Suzume and Shou in the background, Aoshima yelled "The kids are here!" and carried on.

Suzume put a hand to her face. "Oh, this is the worst timing possible."

When they got outside, where some repairs workmen were cowering up on their ladders and on the roofs, Coyote and Ganauche had just arrived as well, and were about to set their own teams on the black-robed intruders when Suzume yelled at them to stop.

Aoshima stepped out, looked on incredulously at the mess of unconscious bodies, and yelled out a "WARDENS! LINE UP, NUMBER OFF!"

In a split second, there was a neat line of eighteen robed figures, yelling out numbers from one to eighteen, not daring to show even a hint of their elatedness to find their chairmen.

Suzume walked up, also staring at the bodies, and turned to Aoshima. "What have you been teaching them?"

"Karate," he said innocently. Suzume stared. "And a bit of jujitsu."

She cleared her throat.

"Muay Thai, some kendo, and a lot of ninjutsu."

Suzume sighed, turning to her Wardens. "Kids, what are you doing here?"

The Warden first in line, known as White, cleared her throat. "When you did not return from Sicily, iinchou, we became worried. With no contact from you, we decided that it might be best to come look for you and Aoshima-fukuiinchou."

"…So you all boarded planes to Sicily, and searched for us? How did you find us so quickly?"

"We had contact with Dino Cavallone, iinchou. With a bit of quick questioning we established that you were here in this property."

Aoshima squeezed the bridge of his nose. "You should probably all return to Japan. Who's going to run the Centre while we're gone?"

"The Environmental Committee volunteered."

"We're going to be here for a while, so please, just go home," Suzume pleaded.

"What's going on out here?" Timoteo's voice rang out from the hallway.

"I don't know, let's have a look." Oh, and Tsuna's as well.

Tsuna's reaction to the Wardens was priceless, to say the least, while Timoteo laughed it off and invited the strange hooded people into the headquarters.

It was likely that the Ninth's successor would die of a heart condition before he himself did.

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 5:30PM_

"I can't do it Reborn… I'm going to go crazy before another week passes… is this how it always is to be a don? Making and losing enemies within days, randomly discovering huge conspiracy plots against you, welcoming strange people into your home on no basis whatsoever?"

"Well… that's Timoteo's average week, yes. Why?"

Reborn had to forcibly stop Tsuna from crawling out his bedroom window.

"It's a three floor drop."

"That's the point."

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 6PM_

"Look, we've arranged a private flight to take you all back to Namimori tomorrow. Be good and go home, okay?" Suzume said to the collection of Wardens, still in their robes, sitting around her in hers and Aoshima's room.

"But iinchou, when are you coming home? We will not leave until you come with us."

Suzume sighed in frustration. "We're going to be here for a while. We're talking months. Maybe even the rest of the year. That's why you can't possibly stay with us-"

"We've already arranged a cover of an overseas studying program. For all of us. We can be absent as long as we like."

"You-" Suzume spluttered a little. She had enough to deal with, geez! Someone give her a break!

"Aoshima-fukuiinchou taught us how to do these things," Hail said proudly.

"…_Kiyoshi_…"

"...I knew that one was going to come back to bite me in the ass…"


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: I had an epiphany. I should probably actually make some sort of responses to the reader-samas reviews. You know, other than blubbering and clutching at my left arm that starts to go numb. So for the last chapter...**

**Thank you to Soul Vrazy for always leaving at least a comment, which always makes me smile. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for the undeserved flattery and the invention of the term 'Yukimura Suzume complex'. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for the kind concerns for my health (I'll probably need that heart doctor soon, with the numbers the follows and faves are hitting). Thank you always to miss Lunakatsuma for... well, you know. Almost killing me with each review. Thank you RenegadeWarrior for her insight (And making it hard for me not to comment about the story in this AN). And thank you to EternalSnow (Guest) for giving me the mental image of Hibari trying to be comforting. (I kinda almost died.)**

**So sorry for the long AN. Go on, reader-samas, reviewers, lady Lunakatsuma-who-seems-intent-on-sending-me-to-ER.**

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 8PM_

"So… it's not a wig?" Ichinose Sayaka, also known as Sleet, asked her iinchou quietly.

Suzume shook her head slowly. The redhead's slender hands shakily went up to touch the choppy hair, face twisting into an expression Suzume had never seen on Sayaka before. She was biting her lower lip, eyes pained.

"What happened?"

Suzume took the hand out of her hair and looked around the empty lounge, and changed the subject. "Where's White? I had promised to lecture her about coming to Sicily."

"She's catching up with your brother. She's our senpai, so she knew Shou-san when he was the Chairman."

"I see…"

There was an awkward silence. "Both you and Aoshima-fukuiinchou are injured and have messed up hair. You either got into a very dangerous fight or someone did this to you."

"Sleet, I don't want to talk about it."

Sayaka smiled in a sad, knowing manner. "You called me Sleet." She looked down at her red curls, the jumper and the blue jeans. "You never call me Sleet out of uniform."

Suzume winced internally.

"We really care about you and Aoshima a lot, you know. When we pledged to our robes in the beginning of the year we also pledged to you. You of all people know we take that seriously."

Suzume paused. "Slee- no- Sayaka. This is a world where true pledges concern life and death. It is no place for high school students."

Sayaka looked upset. In this one conversation, the magenta-eyed girl had revealed so many emotions to Suzume that the Detention Chairman had previously not thought her capable of.

"Are we still just children to you?"

When Suzume didn't reply, Sayaka got up and left the room, shutting the door gently after her, and turning to walk silently down the hall.

Only to be startled by a pair of heterochromatic eyes. Not that she showed any signs of it.

"So _you_ are Sleet, huh? You are very different from how I imagined you."

Sayaka paid him no attention and continued down the hall. Mukuro followed.

"She's right, you know. You have no idea what you are getting yourselves into by staying."

"Suzume-iinchou and Aoshima-fukuiinchou have taught us how to walk the thin, thin line between justice and violence. They have nurtured our morals and grown us as people more than any other influences. Abandoning them in their time of turmoil would be a thousand times worse than kicking our own parents down a well."

"You do have a penchant for dramatic speeches, don't you?"

No reply.

"Well then, two can play at that. Look, Saya-chan, this is the world I was born into. This is the world that raised me into what I am."

Sayaka showed no fear when he grabbed her shoulders and roughly shoved her against the wall, leaning in close with a Mona Lisa smile.

"If you don't leave while you have the chance, this is what you will become. Everyone that steps into this underground hell of ours, no one can escape with idealistic '_morals'_ like yours. You, your comrades, even your beloved Suzume-iinchou will be consumed by darkness, darkness that will never leave you for the rest of your lives."

Sayaka fixed him with a steady gaze. He chuckled in amusement.

"If you don't believe me, what do you think happened in the last week in order for _you_ to have to come _here_?"

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 5:34AM_

Tsuna glared at his bedside table where the red numbers glared back at him. He groaned and ducked back under the covers, wondering what on earth could have woken him up.

As the room returned to silence as Tsuna stopped tossing and turning, the faint sound of some sort of chanting was able to be heard. Tsuna threw off his covers and walked over to his window, opening it and looking out, and then seriously wondering who he had been in his previous life to deserve his present one.

Turning the corner was a group of teenagers all in white martial arts Gi, though tied not with colored belts but chains. They were running in formation, quietly _breathing in sync_, sounding something like 'hai-ho-hai-ho-hai-ho', which had been what Tsuna had heard.

And at the head of this parade was Aoshima, dressed in the same martial arts Gi tied with extra thick chains, who spotted Tsuna's jaw dropping out his window.

"Halt! Line up! Bow!"

Tsuna blinked as the eighteen Wardens, he assumed, plus Aoshima, bowed in unison and said "_Ohayou gozaimasu!"_ before turning and continuing.

Tsuna eyes followed them, watching in a conflicted mix of disbelief and some sort of pride as they stopped at another window and greeted whoever was undoubtedly staring at them perplexedly, and again carried on.

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 5:36AM_

Coyote Nougat watched as the white-clad teens set off again and turned to look at Schnitten Brabanters, who still had his coffee halfway to his mouth, eyebrows raised.

"Why can't our men do that?" Coyote wondered aloud.

"Well, I don't know about you, but my team's job isn't exactly to chase after misbehaving schoolchildren all day," Schnitten commented.

"You actually read the file?" Coyote said in disbelief.

"Whoopee, I'm literate," the Ninth Rain Guardian drawled.

"But that isn't normal for high school students, look at it! Some of them have weights attached to their ankles!"

"Japanese high school clubs are more intense that you think," Schnitten shrugged. "Look at how seriously Visconti's heir takes being a disciplinary figure."

"Well I thought that was just him…"

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6AM_

"I… don't understand."

"I figured that it they're staying I might as well continue with how I always treat them. I'm not going to baby them just because they came all the way to a foreign country, which was their own fault."

"But… you run every day at five thirty in the morning?"

"Of course not! We start at five sharp. At five thirty we'd barely get anything done, what with having to eat breakfast and set up the Centre before school starts."

"So you all get up at five AM in the morning… every school day."

"Yes. Well, earlier, but yes."

"Uh…"

Aoshima gave Tsuna a fond look. "It's okay, kaichou. You have 'does not compute' written all over your face. Just don't mind us."

The Wardens all obediently ate standing at the edge of the dining room, Sleet gone to wake Suzume. Only a few people were at the table so on time, which was Timoteo and a few of his Guardians, Reborn, and that day, Tsuna.

"I must commend your team's ability, Aoshima. They have very clean movements."

The silver-head, for once, beamed with delight. "They _are_ good kids, aren't they?"

"Look who ruffled the peacock's feathers," Suzume cooed as she sat down next to Aoshima, Sleet returning to the edge of the room where Hail had her food. "Every time someone talks about the kids you just about puff out your chest with pride."

"I would protest if it weren't so true."

Tsuna blinked as an unfamiliar scene unfolded before him. With both Suzume and Aoshima in the room, the Wardens moved in closer to surround them, and suddenly there was this kind of domestic air about them- Suzume and Aoshima suddenly turned into a pair of doting parents, and the Wardens that usually scared Tsuna more than he would admit turned into affectionate little kids.

They would joke, and steal food from each other, and sometimes one of the Wardens would almost _pout_ at being scolded. And were those sparkles? Oh dear lord, Tsuna's grip on reality was quickly loosening before his eyes.

"I think I'm going to go back to my room," the Decimo said uneasily, excusing himself and making a mad dash for the stairs.

The Detention Committee blinked. "Did we scare him off or something?"

* * *

_Tuesday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 2PM_

Fujiwara Kousuke's face had 'does not compute' written all over it. Sitting on the floor of the Namigaku Student Council suite's lounge, silver-striped blazers bustling about all around, the pile of papers in front of the Midori president had not gotten any smaller since he had received it at eight in the morning.

"HOW DOES HE DO IT?"

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 8AM_

Hibari was sat lethargically at the dining room table, eyes closed, fingers massaging his temple. Tsuna on his right, and Mukuro on his left, didn't look any better.

The Ninth and Tenth generations were scattered all about the room. Battle plans, threatening letters from the Asphodel Alliance, and what was left of breakfast, were just as scattered all about the table.

Hibird flew in chirping, landing on Hibari's shoulder.

The Tenth Cloud Guardian sighed. "Sniper on the roof."

Suzume, sitting outside the door, opened it, grabbed a saber off the display on the wall, and gave a lazy thumbs-up. "On it."

As she disappeared off to take care of whatever poor soul was carrying the sniper rifle on the roof, Tsuna's head met the desk for the umpteenth time that day. "How long will we have to stand living with all these Asphodel intruders all the time?"

"As soon as we come up with a plan to take down at least the portion of them in Sicily, we should be able to at least have breakfast in peace," Coyote reassured the young Decimo.

Mukuro looked thoughtful. "We know that one of their divisions in Sicily is the remains of the Gatti Famiglia, one of the old powerhouses. The feline assassin earlier was a complete giveaway."

Timoteo frowned in concern. "What did happen to the little tabby? It was just a kitten, I was hoping we could rehabilitate it."

"Yukimura Shinichi took it in as a pet," Hibari replied with a sigh, as if embarrassed for the man in his stead.

Coyote suddenly looked nervous. "Autunno? When did he-"

"When he heard that his darling baby sister was involving herself in a Vongola war, but of course," Mukuro cut in. "Though I do wonder, Kyouya, how exactly did you manage to convince her to join us? Her father alone threw a fit that ruined half the south wing."

"And Reborn's suit, if I remember correctly," Tsuna mused.

Hibari blatantly ignored their questions in favor of communicating with Hibird in some sort of blinking language.

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 12PM_

"I really do feel so mean, to invite you and your friends here the moment we are in great trouble. It should be us keeping you safe, not the other way around."

Tsuna shook his head vehemently at the Ninth, as they continued down the hallway together. "It's just how things turned out. We know it's dangerous, ojii-chan, but we've always known that something like this would happen eventually where you'd need us." Tsuna turned to smile genuinely at Timoteo. "It's all okay."

Timoteo returned the smile with one of his own. "Ah, you remind me of my youth. Though you are probably better behaved than I was. How do you think Coyote developed high blood pressure?"

The two laughed at the thought of all the grief that they had caused their respective right-hand men, and in a darker light, all the grief to come.

* * *

_Friday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 12PM_

"…Yeah, just like that. It's all coming back isn't it?" Shou said encouragingly.

Suzume knew that her brother was far from ecstatic at having her dip her toes in a world that their father had tried so desperately, for so many years, to avoid. They hadn't seen hide or hair of Yukimura Seiji since he had exploded in anger on the Vongola Mansion, and ran off. Reborn had gone to look for him the day before, and still wasn't back.

The youngest Yukimura knew that this wasn't fair to her father, it wasn't fair to her siblings, but if she didn't do it, and Hibari told them the truth… she didn't ever want to see the face that she had made upon hearing it on their faces. Besides, from a position inside the underworld, she could more easily control the information's spread, both within the Asphodel Alliance and outside it.

Meanwhile, while Tsuna and the rest had been formulating battle plans and preparing to start making preemptive strikes against the Asphodel, Suzume was brushing up on her marksmanship and gun handling with Shou.

"You know, for the only one in our family with no ties to the criminal underworld whatsoever, you are surprisingly good at teaching how to handle a weapon. Aren't you a sportsman?"

Shou smiled gently again, though for whose benefit was uncertain. "I've always had ties to the underworld, Suzu. You've just become one more of them."

Guilt clawed at the inside of her chest for drawing the last innocent Yukimura into what she was doing. Her brother was sweet, kind, a good sportsman with a sense of honor and a clear moral standing. It was like taking a white rose and dragging it through the mud.

"Hey, don't worry about me. I've handled the Detention Centre before, remember? Nothing will corrupt me that easily, and nothing will corrupt you either."

Suzume smiled, not able to help muttering two words with bitter humor when Shou was out of earshot.

"Too late."

* * *

_Friday, Rome_

_Hotel, 1:35PM_

Reborn frowned at Seiji's cell phone, set on the coffee table where Reborn was checking his own phone. "Your children are worried about you, you know."

Seiji himself was sprawled out on one of the beds, eyes closed. "I know. What I don't know is why Suzume is doing this to me. She knows how I feel about these exact kind of situations."

"Perhaps it is exactly because she knows how you feel that she hasn't tried to apologize," Reborn said, flicking through the texts on his friend's phone as said irresponsible parent had stated that morning that he couldn't bear to read them himself. "Suzume has a mature outlook on the world. Both of them. She must have reasons for playing with fire like this."

Seiji sighed. "Shin once said that one of the core features of the Detention Committee he founded is that members are taught, through both guidance and experience, how to walk the fine line between justice and violence, good and bad, vigilantism and crime." He looked up at Reborn. "Do you think that his ideals were passed through to the third generation?"

The hitman shrugged his shoulders, honestly. "Only the committee's third generation itself can tell you that."

They stayed there, together, silently, for a long while. It could have been mere minutes or half the day, neither really cared.

"Reborn?"

"Hm?"

"You remember what you promised, right?"

"…It's a little late for that, Seiji. She's involved herself of her own will."

"Then make me a new promise."

Reborn raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear it first."

Seiji flipped off his bed in a tumble and landed in Reborn's lap.

"She's involved now, and neither of us can help that anymore. But promise me, Reborn. If she ever wants to bail, if she ever wants to abandon what she's doing halfway through and run away…"

Reborn waited. He had a fair idea what Seiji was going to ask him.

"…For the love of all you hold dear, _don't let her_."

The taller man tilted down his fedora and nodded. "Though I wonder if you realize how literal that wording was."

Seiji smiled, just a little, and moved to kiss Reborn swiftly on the lips in gratitude.

You know, before the hitman picked him up and threw him out the window.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 2AM_

Suzume spat out a wad of blood-drenched tissue and wiped her lips with the back of her hand.

She was back-to-back with Aoshima in the middle of a Gatti invasion- Mukuro had been right, and it seemed that the Asphodel Alliance was going to be attacking in waves like the Fortezza had, as to never tire out too many members at once.

"At least this means that we took care of the Fortezza for a while," Aoshima said as he narrowly caught a flying knife aimed for his eye, and returned it to its owner's hand. Point first.

The Wardens were all over the Headquarters, but the ones nearby seemed to be holding up fine, so Suzume was able to trust them to survive. What she was most concerned about was Hibari and the rest of the Tenth Generation, who were also spread out across the HQ, but obviously in thinner numbers than the Wardens.

Both she and Aoshima just hoped that the Wardens had understood their assignments given to them earlier that week and had found Tenth Generation members to protect.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 10AM_

Kusakabe knew that Hibari had told him not to bother worrying about him, but how could he not? From the looks of his future memories that he occasionally got clear glimpses at, the Mafia was not exactly a happy-go-lucky place.

It didn't help that both Yukimura and Aoshima were gone as well, so the Disciplinary Vice-Chairman had no one to vent his worries on. The next best thing was the Prefects, but obviously he couldn't go talk to them about the Mafia and 'Family' feuds and Guardians and all that.

Kusakabe sighed and went back to dusting Hibari's desk. When he tried to lift the Chairman's favorite mug to dust under it, he was alarmed to find that the handle broke off.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 2:15AM_

Hibari hissed as his back slammed into the marble top of the fireplace, cracking some ribs. He rolled away quickly enough to dodge the small knives thrown there, but only for another Gatti fighter to drop on him from the ceiling.

The Gatti were different from the Fortezza in that they primarily used stealth and agility as weapons, while the Fortezza had been somewhat cruder in their methods.

Just when he thought he was cornered and would have to tear himself to ribbons to fight all the knives, one of the Gatti fighters was pinned solidly to the wall opposite the door by the collar with a dark-wooded arrow. Three more and the others were also pinned to either the wall or various pieces of furniture. Hibari was rather confused as to why they didn't try to struggle or resist.

He looked up to see Yukimura Shou hefting a crossbow, smiling wryly. "The arrows nicked their skulls as they went past to get their clothes. They won't be waking up anytime soon."

Shou's voice was still as gentle and even as usual, despite the fact he was supposed to be an innocent university student with the personality of an angel, and had just incapacitated four skilled Mafia fighters within a minute.

Hibari relented then and there that yes: Yukimuras were indeed frightening.


	23. Chapter 23

**A/N: Thank you to otakuzen for really making me wish I could just_ tell_ everyone the plot already. Thank you lady Lunakatsuma for... well, actually, I have a hospital bill I need to discuss with you. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for praising my procrastination which causes chapters to be posted in the wee hours of the morning. And thank you Soul Vrazy for yet more undeserved praise. **

**Chapter and tomatoes as always, reader-samas. Even a flamethrower or metal pipe if they're needed. I have a feeling my hospital bills aren't going to lessen anytime soon.**

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 3AM_

"Please, hold still," Shou suggested firmly, to Hibari who was bracing himself against a chair, shirtless, Shou's palms pressed against his back.

"This theoretically should work, but if you feel a sharp internal pain, tell me, because that means I've pushed it straight through. Ready?"

Hibari grunted.

"Inhale, _exhale-" _On Hibari's exhale Shou pushed the dislodged rib back into place with a swift motion of his shoulders.

The young Guardian gave no signs of discomfort but a facial wince.

"Good man. Now we can get your Sun Guardian to heal you up. Next?"

It turned out that Yukimura Shou had several first aid licenses, and in fact was an aspiring doctor, studying to be one in Tokyo.

The next injured person was a cook, with a long gash up his arm. Shou handled his arm with care.

"It doesn't look like anything is broken… It's a clean flesh wound. Go on straight to Sasagawa-kun or Nie-san."

Brow Nie Jr. was a great contrast to the enthusiastic Ryohei. He went through his patients with deliberate care and quick thinking, but never exclaimed at particularly bad wounds or tried especially hard to make small talk. The most he ever said was the occasional "You were brave out there" or "Where does it hurt?"

Obviously, three people couldn't possibly go through and check every person in the Headquarters, so Aoshima and six Wardens he had trained in first-aid were making rounds to those less injured, or alternatively, those too injured to move.

"Aoshima-san is really amazing! He knows how to do everything," Tsuna said to Suzume, watching with fascination as the silver-headed boy ripped off a strip of denim from his jeans and tied it tightly around the top of a maid's arm, above her wound.

Shou had brought Suzume and Aoshima's luggage to them when he had arrived at the Mansion that one night- though this probably wasn't what he had intended for them to do with it.

Suzume smiled a bit, eyeing her own bound-up ankle. "Well, he wasn't kidding when he said he was in charge of making sure no one dies in the Centre."

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6AM_

"How did they know that we were still at the Headquarters? The staff had lights on here as well."

"What should really concern us is how much damage they did. It was like they were given instructions to raid the most populated places- while there were so many in the meeting room we were using, our actual overnight bedrooms in the Headquarters were untouched."

"Their tactics are far more advanced than the Fortezza. The damage done is at least twice as much."

While the Ninth Generation and their men calmly discussed the invasion in detail, the Tenth could only listen in and wait for Timoteo, who was eying them curiously, to ask the one question they knew was coming.

"Tsunayoshi-kun. You and your Guardians have the most extensive knowledge in the use of Dying Will Flames in the entire Famiglia, yet so far only Sasagawa-kun has used them for the cause. Why did you not use them in these last battles?"

The room silenced, all eyes turning to the youngest generation with an almost audible whoosh.

"We… haven't used them for a long time. I guess we forgot."

"You'll have to start remembering from now on," Coyote said with a sigh. "Knowledge of Dying Will Flames is one of the only advantages we have against the Asphodel."

Shin, who had also been quiet the entire meeting, seemed intrigued. "That's right, the Vongola is supposed to be the strongest Flame users out of all Families. It is impressive that your next generation already has the ability to utilize them in battle."

"Not as impressive as it was for you to defend the entire second floor single-handedly, Yukimura-kun. That was very impressive," Timoteo smiled smoothly.

The red-head lifted his hands in a graceful shrug. "I have experienced working for and against almost every Family in Italy. The Gatti's invasion tactics are similar to those of the Orsini, who I have defended the Pesce against several times."

Suzume looked up with a little amusement. "I thought you were an errand boy, ani."

"I am. My errand that time was to paint the walls, and the Orsini were very persistent in ruining my paintjob."

Aoshima held back a chuckle while Coyote put a palm to his face.

Tsuna and company sunk back into the background, grateful for the change in topic. But for the rest of the meeting, they couldn't shake the feeling that the three Yukimura siblings kept looking at them.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 10AM_

Tsuna and his Guardians sat quietly in the library, all mulling over the same thing.

Each looked like they wanted to spark the conversation, but none did. It remained silent, and was still silent when Suzume and Aoshima entered, walking straight over to the half-finished game on the chessboard, and sitting themselves down before even noticing the presence of the Tenth Generation in the corner, among the couches and chairs around the lifeless fireplace.

"Oh. Hello everyone. Don't mind us," Aoshima smiled, making a move with his remaining rook to take one of Suzume's knights. He remembered exactly where they had left off their game.

The room lapsed back into silence for a little while, most of the Guardians watching Aoshima and Suzume play, before Gokudera said "We're in the middle of a war, and you can bring yourself to cheerfully play a game?"

Suzume's smile broadened as one of her pawns made it to the other side of the board, and she swapped it for a knight.

"My intention was to stay in order to help your side with numbers in this 'war'. I never realized just how much we would end up helping you, with the kids and all, but in simple words we are _your_ pawns. When there is no fighting to be done, what else can we do but enjoy the free time?"

"Actually, I do believe Shin-san is painting the walls."

There was another lapse in silence as another of Suzume's pawns reached Aoshima's side of the board, and she gained another knight.

"Why don't you choose queens? They're more powerful."

"Perhaps in your point of view, but I prefer knights."

Aoshima frowned. "I do hate it when you do your field of knights. By the time you have four or five I don't even know what's going on anymore. Checkmate could be around the corner and- oh."

Suzume positively grinned. "I only needed three."

"_You_ were cleverer than you let on. But then again, when are you not?"

Out of curiosity, Gokudera stood and walked over to take a better look at the board.

"…Oh. That was a really good use of knights. Wasn't it risky, though?"

"I trusted myself to be able to fix anything that went wrong."

Tsuna looked up at this abruptly, and Suzume spotted his movement.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 12PM_

"Just in time for lunch," Seiji said cheerfully.

Reborn gave him a disbelieving look of apathy before opening the door and letting the two in.

Seiji found his children all together, in the library, and noticed amusedly that Suzume partially hid herself behind Aoshima when he entered the room. Shou and Shin were having an arm-wrestle on the table.

"Tou-san! I was so worried for you!" Shou slammed Shin's arm to the table in a swift motion and went up to hug his father.

While Shou fussed over Seiji in the background, Shin stared at his arm, a blue aura forming around him. Suzume patted her eldest brother softly on the head.

"He's been reloading single-shot rifles and high-tension crossbows since he could hold them. It's not you…"

Reborn walked right over to Tsuna sitting by himself in a dark corner, among tall, dusty bookshelves, as if he had a Tsuna-homing device.

While the rest of the Tenth Generation had been called off to do work alongside their Ninth Generation counterparts, Timoteo had left Tsuna alone, seeing the troubled look in his eyes.

Tsuna looked up from his book. "Reborn…"

The man almost laughed. "The last time you looked at me like that was when we reunited in the hideout in the future."

When Tsuna didn't even bring up how weird that reunion was, and complain about how they could never have serious moments, Reborn frowned. He sat down next to his student and waited.

The Yukimura family plus Aoshima could still be heard on the other side of the bookshelves, but they seemed a world away.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 12:30PM_

Suzume raised an eyebrow when Reborn arrived to lunch alone.

As if noticing her look, Reborn his hands together and said "I seem to have forgotten about Tsuna. Suzume, would you get him?"

The girl gave him a cautious look, but shrugged it off. She had a feeling that Tsuna was exactly where they had left him.

And she was proved right, as she rounded the last bookshelf to find him still in that same corner, among a pile of dusty books.

Suzume noticed that they were all biographies of previous Vongola Bosses. She sighed, gaining Tsuna's attention, and sat across from him.

"Yukimura-san?..."

"Tsuna."

_That_ got him to look up. It was the first time that Suzume had ever called him by his preferred name. It sounded calm from her tongue, despite the chaos raining down on his world- it sounded like the way Seiji spoke to Reborn.

"Tsuna. I don't know everything about Dying Will Flames, but my father once told me that it's like learning how to ride a bike- once you've learnt how there's no way you can forget it. There's no way you can get worse."

There was a short silence as Tsuna considered the person in front of him- the person that was rumored in Namigaku to be able to see through peoples' worst fears and embarrassments, and so was such a fearsome Detention Chairman.

He sighed, relaxing his posture to let his hands fall from his knees and his legs to straighten out. "It's not just that. There are so many reasons… reasons that you would never understand."

"I don't have to understand. I just have to listen."

Tsuna smiled, just a little bit. "It's true, isn't it? Your perceptive ability. You know exactly what I want to hear."

Suzume blinked. "Sometimes perception is just being able to shut your own trap and look around."

Tsuna's smile quirked again, before he bit his lip and sighed again in resignation.

"…I was scared. The others were too, but I think I was the most scared. Not even of the enemy," he chuckled drily. "Of myself. I couldn't get them to light again. My flames. I thought it was temporary the first time, like stage fright or something, but…"

Suzume let the silence permeate.

"You probably think I'm really weird, don't you?" Tsuna laughed again.

Suzume shrugged. "I think that's just the thing. You don't have to care about what I think about you."

Tsuna paused for a moment. "I guess that's why I couldn't bring myself to talk to Reborn. I told him everything. But even knowing that he doesn't think any less of me doesn't help. I couldn't keep talking."

Suzume internally praised the hitman's resourcefulness.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 1PM_

Gokudera fidgeted. "She's been gone half an hour, I'm going to look for Jyuudaime-"

Reborn pulled him firmly back down into his seat.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 1PM_

"…You were afraid. Afraid in so many ways. Afraid you'd hurt someone, destroy something, afraid that you couldn't live up to expectations, afraid for the Family, afraid of the position you soon have to inherit, afraid for _your_ Family, and afraid…" Suzume's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Afraid… afraid of what you did last time you used your flames in this kind of war."

Tsuna hadn't even had to tell her that last one. He knew- he knew that she had seen it in his eyes. The memories of the war with the Millefiore- of that future's Byakuran… would haunt him forever.

"I did something- I did something that I had always thought I could vow to never do. It never really hit me until a long time afterward, when things quieted down… just what I had done."

Suzume watched as the tears that Tsuna had been holding in for god-knows-how-long flowed freely down his cheeks. She picked up the most recent of the Vongola Boss biographies, and noted how her Kaichou had looked so much more childlike in middle school, with his rounded cheeks that were now sharp and defined, how the photo had captured an innocence that would never come back.

"This was taken before that happened, right? Before you realized…" she asked softly.

Tsuna glanced at his own photo, embedded in the leather cover of the book titled with a simple embroidered 'X', and nodded.

"The book was made long after it was taken, but ojii-chan liked that photo best, so he had them use it."

Suzume flipped it open. Only the first thirty or so pages were filled in.

"Look at this, Tsuna. Your book isn't finished quite yet."

She smiled gently, that smile that she had learnt from Shou, as she put the book down and wiped away the small brunet's tears with her fingers. "You still have to write the rest of it. No matter how scared you are, no matter how badly you mess up, there will always be more pages to write in as long as you are alive. Don't waste pages."

Tsuna gave her and almost childish look- a slight pout, big doe eyes, topped off with a heavy blush, from crying or from embarrassment was up to interpretation. "You know so little about what it takes to write a good page in my world."

"That's why I'm the only one that dares to tell you to do it."

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Property, approximately 2PM_

"What are we all gathered here for, Jyuudaime?"

"Haha, look, we're even all dressed in exercise clothes and everything!"

"Mukuro-sama… these shorts are too…short."

"On the contrary, they cover more than your middle school uniform did."

"This better be good to have disturbed Lambo-sama from his nap."

"I bet we're going to do some EXTREME training! Let's run some laps through the woods and warm up in an EXTREME manner!"

Tsuna looked around at his Guardians, a sweat drop quickly forming on the back of his head.

He hadn't even bothered to try and get Hibari into it, knowing that if things got hated between the prefect and Mukuro, they would possibly level the forest.

"Actually, onii-san is right... I was thinking that since we're in the middle of a war again.. we might want to train up our abilities."

"But Jyuudaime, our combat abilities are better than ever. We've been training for this kind of thing for _years_."

"But what we also haven't touched for _years_, is… this." Tsuna pulled at the chain around his neck to reveal his Vongola Gear and Natsu ring.

The Guardians went quiet.

"I'm not going to beat around the bush," Tsuna swallowed. "If we all used our Gear and flames to their maximum potential, we could easily level the entirety of Europe in a day. If we can start harnessing these again…"

Silence. One of the most painful silences Tsuna had experience so far.

"…You are right that we could level Europe, Tsunayoshi," Mukuro finally said. "But what if we level Europe… on accident?"

Rokudo Mukuro, the most bloodthirsty Guardian, the most power-hungry, was affected like _that _by just how much power he had. It said something.

"If we level Europe… we'll just have to rebuild it all. Just as we have the power of destruction-" Gokudera fingered his belt, which had always been hidden underneath his clothes- "We have the power of construction." Mukuro materialized his and Chrome's earring from its storing place, fingering it with care.

"We have to do it, everyone. For Vongola."

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6PM_

The Tenth Generation arrived to dinner looking completely exhausted save Hibari. As the meal wore on, however, their presence was almost nominal as the Ninth Generation talked excitedly.

"I sent Autunno on an errand to clarify the hierarchy of the Asphodel. There are five of their Family groups in Sicily, and we now know of their locations, so we can begin fighting back as soon as tomorrow!"

"That is brilliant news. We can only take so many of their strikes before completely wearing down."

Suzume and her family, however, _did_ notice the Tenth Generation, and Suzume in particular looked pleased with herself.

Aoshima was talking to her about the Wardens when he noticed this, and he blinked as he realized that Suzume was getting more and more involved in the workings of the Vongola, whether she realized it or not.

* * *

_Saturday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 11:45PM_

Reborn looked at Seiji irritably. "Tell me again why I have to share a room with you."

"I can't be bothered to move my luggage to another room."

"You have _one_ suitcase."

Seiji shrugged, and gave Reborn a 'You caught me' look. "So I wanted to enjoy my time with you while I can before I go back to Japan. Sue me."

Reborn was quiet as he dried his hair with the towel, another wrapped around his waist. The bathroom steam escaped in tendrils among the beam of light the open door shed, revealing Seiji sprawled across his bed face-first, in a loose shirt without pants.

The hitman didn't bother trying to tell Seiji to at least dress properly, knowing that that was how he liked to sleep.

"You don't have to go back so soon," Reborn sighed. "You're actually pretty helpful with the repairs and all. It's technically not involving you in our affairs."

"Right, you're hiring me as a repairs manager. I know." The yellow-eyed man sat up, crossing his legs. "But I can't stay for reasons like that."

Pulling on his pajama pants, Reborn flipped off the bathroom lights and fan and slipped into bed, turning his back to face Seiji. "You could stay for your children. Shou seems to intend on sticking around along with Suzume."

There was a short silence. "In the end it was just impossible, wasn't it? Trying to keep them out of this world. I shouldn't have expected any children of mine to live a peaceful life. No, I can't stay for them either. I can't bring myself to pretend that they still need me, now that they've returned to Sicily."

Reborn frowned into his pillow.

"…You could stay for me."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 2AM_

A certain silver-headed Vice Detention Chairman was getting himself a drink of water, noting the heavy rainstorm outside, when he heard pounding at the front door.

Setting down his glass, he peered through the peephole and sighed, skillfully undoing all the bolts.

"VOIIIIII! DAMN BASTARD COUSIN! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE'VE BEEN OUT HERE?"


	24. Chapter 24

**A/N: Thank you to Soul Vrazy for always leaving encouraging words with each chapter. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for concerns over my mortality. Thank you to illuminati-4 for _so_ much undeserved appreciation. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for always making me grin uncontrollably with your reviews. Thank you to blizzard 10 for more plot motivation. Miss Lunakatsuma- it's okay for now as long as I'm still alive, but if insurance company men show up at your door asking questions it's probably because I've finally given in to the heart attacks. (And of course, thank you for _all that time_ that you put into your reviews.) Thank you to EternalSnow for the glomp. (My ribs are still intact so it's all good.) And finally thank you to Furionknight for yet more motivation to write this thing. **

**Here I present to you 'this thing', reader-samas.**

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approoimately 2AM_

The Varia elite were gathered in the dining room, all dripping wet, still wearing their winter coats from the mission in Russia, and looking rather irritable.

Squalo in particular was absolutely drenched, even the thick trench coat not doing much to help his appearance of drowned rat, hair limp, skinny frame apparent. It reminded Suzume of the time Aoshima had gone to look for her when she had had a prolonged spar with Hibari.

"Oh, and here's a gift," the swordsman grumbled, pulling out a small furry animal from the inside of his collar, kept relatively dry. Gokudera's incredulous expression softened when he found that it was a small ginger kitten.

"We hijacked a van belonging to a pound. I don't know if the kitchens know how to prepare it, but we could always call in a Japanese chef."

"Prepare what?" Tsuna asked.

"The cat. It's a delicacy in Japan, isn't it?"

Tsuna, Gokudera, Aoshima and Suzume turned to Squalo in with expressions ranging from horror to exasperation. Everyone else was still asleep, but Tsuna was fairly sure that if the rest of the Tenth Generation were there, even Mukuro would wince at _that_.

"You-you were expecting us to _eat it?_" Tsuna squeaked.

The kitten gave a soft mewl, and immediately all eyes turned to it, sitting on the table, trying to dry its damp fur with its tongue, looking at each individual person with big green eyes.

Squalo actually visibly gagged at the cuteness.

Suddenly the group could hear the sound of thundering feet, and one Yukimura Shinichi exploded into the room, in his black satin pajamas, seeing the kitten, and then gently picking it up and holding it up to eye level, face lighting up with delight.

"It's so _cute!_"

Suzume slowly lifted a hand to her forehead, closing her eyes and sighing. The Varia, at seeing the new face, correctly assumed that it was one of the infamous Yukimuras they had heard were staying in the mansion.

"Can I keep it?"

Tsuna looked bewildered. "Uh, sure. I guess."

Shin turned back to the kitten, which actually didn't seem to mind being held in the air, and actually climbed onto the Yukimura's head, burying its claws into his undone hair and settling.

"Oh, you must meet Nyansuke!" And with that the redhead sped off just as quickly as he had arrived, leaving the door swinging.

There was a silence. Tsuna broke it with a question. "Nyansuke?"

Aoshima was grinning uncontrollably, though trying to cover it with a hand. "The kitty-assassin that the Gatti sent."

"…He named it… Nyan… suke?"

Suzume smiled wryly. "My eldest brother has a thing for cats."

Levi blinked. "Wait- that was a man?"

"That was Yukimura Shinichi, known to us as Autunno. The only female child in Winter's line is Yukimura Suzume, as sitting here in front of us," Mammon said tiredly, as if explaining something for the hundredth time to someone particularly slow.

"Wait- that's _the_ girl_? _As in the same one from that time in Tokyo?"

Suzume smiled and nodded pleasantly, vein throbbing in her forehead. One of the pains of hacking her hair short with a rusty pipe- now there were two androgynous Yukimuras. She didn't even bother taking the comment as an insult to her femininity anymore.

With the 'gift' having been received, Squalo turned his attention to Aoshima. "Yo cousin. What's with the hair? Finally done copying me?"

"What- you mean you haven't heard yet?" Gokudera cut in, in surprise.

"Heard what? The war notice only mentioned that the Yukimuras and my cousin were allying with the Vongola."

The room silenced, Gokudera and Tsuna suddenly interested in the wood grain of the table. Squalo furrowed his eyebrows at this and turned to Aoshima, voice slowly becoming low and dangerous. "What happened, Kiyoshi?"

Aoshima's smile quirked again. "The Vongola Head of Interrogation happened."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 2:15AM_

"LET ME GO, DAMMIT! I'M GONNA SKIN THE BASTARD AND USE HIM AS A DOORMAT!"

Needless to say, Squalo woke up more people- specifically the Wardens, who were using a nearby study as a dormitory. It took half a dozen Wardens to hold him back, the rest of the Varia providing no help at all- Xanxus, Mammon and Belphegor in fact having left for their rooms.

"My, Squ-chan, calm down a little! You're scaring the children!" Lussuria implored, though still staying safe distance from the silver-head's waving sword.

"Did you not _hear _that? That potato-brained interrogator did THAT!" Squalo pointed angrily at where Aoshima was putting his pajama shirt back on, over the scars and bandages. It _had_ been rather rude of Squalo to strip him half-naked in the dining room, but he let it go.

Sayaka turned to Suzume. "Why did you think you couldn't tell us this? You know we're not silly enough to try to get revenge or anything like that!"

"Good," Aoshima nodded. "Because we don't want to get into this matter again."

"Mou, Squ, look, even Kiyo-chan puts it behind him, let's just get you to bed and talk about it in the morning, shall we? Kiyo-chan, come here," Lussuria turned from the fuming Squalo to the boy, patting his lap and putting on his Sun ring. "Let mama fix you."

To Tsuna's surprise, Aoshima sighed and complied with the Varia Sun Captain's request, _actually_ sitting on the man's lap as if it were normal, as his various wounds and injuries were then taken care of one by one.

"Would you mind helping Suzume after this?" Aoshima murmured, as he watched one particularly nasty gash that had been bothering him all week close up seamlessly.

"Of course! Anyone important to my Kiyo-chan is important to me."

"…But he wouldn't let Sasagawa or Nie-san touch her," Gokudera said in wonder and disbelief. "The hell is-"

"You remember why we're in Sicily in the first place, Gokudera-san?" Suzume cut in.

"To… you were visiting graves on Vongola property, right? That's why the whole thing happened."

"Yes. Kiyoshi's parents." There was a moment of small surprise. "His closest living relative was Squalo's family, who wouldn't take him, but Squalo did. When he joined the Varia, Kiyoshi went with him."

As this processed, Lussuria cooing over Aoshima's bruised wrist in the background, Tsuna sat down and put a hand to his face. "You mean this whole time- Aoshima-san is technically Varia?"

Aoshima frowned. "Well, no, I don't associate like that-"

Tsuna held up a hand to stop him. "Someone just get me a coffee."

Levi looked around. "Where'd Squalo go?"

Suzume looked around for the Wardens that had been holding him back, and found four of them rubbing their heads under the table. "What are you guys doing under the table?"

"Uh… iinchou… you might want to go check on that interrogator person. It seems that Frost and Icicle decided to side with the sword guy…"

There was a scream in the background, and Tsuna let his head thump onto the table.

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 4AM_

Coyote Nougat and his team were suiting up in the training field, preparing to raid the Gatti outpost Shin had found just outside of the Vongola property line.

The Headquarters was located almost exactly in the centre of the Vongola Property in Palermo, which was made up mainly of forest and valleys. Right behind it were the training grounds and equipment building, and then a heavy forest obscuring a drop into an even more heavily forested valley.

Nestled high on the side of the valley opposite the headquarters was the private Vongola Mansion- unlike the Varia, The Boss and Guardians of the Vongola had their own residence separate to the headquarters.

Through the window of the study he had occupied in the mansion, Tsuna watched from afar as the tiny black and red figures of the Storm Squadron lined up outside the back of the Headquarters building and Coyote briefed them. A half-drained mug of coffee was going cold on his desk.

"Tsunayoshi, the kitchen prepared you a snack to tide over until breakfast." Mukuro entered the room in the manner of a butler, tray in one hand, other behind his back. He set down the French toast on the desk and turned to his boss himself.

"Something troubling you?" he asked lightly, looking out the window over the smaller boy's shoulder.

Tsuna sighed and turned back to his desk, picking up a triangle of toast with a napkin and chewing on a corner thoughtfully. "Even though we're here, we're not doing much to help ojii-chan and them when we're not being invaded. They know how to perform invasions better, so I was thinking of ways we could contribute to the defense of the property."

Mukuro straightened, a hint of fondness in his one natural eye as he tidied up the papers and folders scattered about the desk. Probably only one year ago, Tsuna was still trying his hardest to stay out of any form of conflict- though the illusionist would miss the adorable expressions the brunet used to make when he was scared out of his wits; this hardened Tsuna was someone that he could follow seriously.

Even if Mukuro kind of still wanted to possess his body. But old habits die hard, right?

"Other than patrolling, setting up Flame devices, and investing in some long-range fighters, I think the best thing we can do right now is to train ourselves. You said it yourself that the eight of us have the potential to level Europe."

Tsuna's lips quirked and he nodded. "Then let's get those other things going. And hope that we won't have to end up leveling anything."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 4AM_

Suzume gave the pair of Wardens a hard look. Identical pairs of pale blue eyes begged for forgiveness back.

"Frost. Icicle. You know what you did wrong, right?"

"_Yes, Suzume-iinchou_," they chorused.

"You know the punishment, right?"

They hesitated and looked at each other, before sighing. "_Yes, Suzume-iinchou_."

"…Well?"

The elder brother sighed and stood, bowing. "I'll go find a tub."

The younger also stood and bowed. "And I'll go get the ice."

Suzume almost smiled at their expressions. "Kiyoshi, find a thermometer. The Seikawa twins are going to cool their heads in an ice bath."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, 5AM_

Reborn sat up and barely bothered to look at the clock, knowing his internal one was perfect. He looked over to Seiji almost falling out the other side of the bed and kicked him out the rest of the way, getting up and going to the bathroom.

"Reborn…" the other complained, the sounds of fabric against carpet telling the hitman that even when literally kicked out of bed, the first thing Seiji did in the morning was turn on his side and stretch.

Ignoring the moans about how early it was, Reborn set to his morning routine, body moving like clockwork to shower and get dressed.

And while Reborn started getting dressed, Seiji would have just finished brushing his teeth, and would only rinse himself in the shower to wake up properly before getting dressed and joining Reborn at the door- just as the hitman finished checking the contents of his jacket and set his famous fedora on top of his head.

Seiji grinned at this. "Nostalgia, na?"

Reborn couldn't help a small smile.

They made it to breakfast five minutes early, and Suzume was surprised to see her father up so early.

"Didn't you sleep well?" she asked with concern.

"Actually, I slept _very_ well." Suzume, to her credit, was only mildly disturbed when her father left it at that.

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 6:20AM_

As the rest of the Mansion residents filed in, minus Coyote, Timoteo was pleasantly surprised to find the Varia at the table as well.

"You should have told me you were coming, Xanxus, we would have ordered more meat in advance."

Xanxus shrugged and looked in another direction, in a typical indifferent teenager fashion.

Aoshima and the Wardens arrived last, the Wardens lining up against the wall as usual, as there would never be enough room for them on the private Mansion's table.

"Suzume-san… are those two over there okay?" Tsuna asked quietly, looking at a pair of twins hugging themselves that looked rather pale and flushed at the same time- as though they'd spent time in a Russian winter.

"Those two were the ones that helped Squalo try to kill your Head interrogator. They sat the appropriate punishment. Don't worry, we just took some ice formations from your meat freezer, we didn't touch any of the ones used for chilling drinks," she smiled, gesturing to the ice in Tsuna's glass of orange juice.

"So that's why those two smell funny," Shin said from across the table. He still had the ginger kitten in his hair, the tabby hanging over his shoulder.

"…I don't know how I just noticed this, but why are there cats on you?" Schnitten Brabanters asked the redhead from Timoteo's left, at the other end of the table.

"Oh, you must not have met yet. This is Nyansuke here on my shoulder, the one you guys gave me, and on my head is Nyandai, from the Varia this morning."

There was a short silence before Shou kindly informed him that that didn't explain why his feline companions were at the dining table.

"They're kinda cute," Yamamoto laughed.

Abruptly, the room was silenced again by a cell phone buzzing. Shin frowned and dug it out of his pocket with one hand, putting it to his ear and listening without replying, other hand holding a fork with a piece of pancake on it that Nyansuke was quickly gobbling up while his attention was elsewhere.

The call seemed to end hastily.

"Huh. It looks like Nougat got himself in a pinch. I guess I should go get them." He put his fork down and got up, his cats immediately diving inside his trench coat, Nyansuke poking out of his collar and Nyandai settling in a pocket.

"Wait- Coyote is in danger?" Timoteo furrowed his eyebrows. "That must mean the invasion went awry. But why did he contact you, and not us?"

Shin shrugged from where he was already perched on the windowsill. "I steal his stuff a lot. He has me on speed dial." And with that he disappeared, kitties and all.

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 9AM_

Suzume and Aoshima sat in the library, again with a chessboard between them. They were alone, and the only sounds in the dusty library were the sounds of their pieces clacking against the board.

"So why did you only let- Lussuria, was it? Why is it you let me avoid sun flames with the other two, but not Lussuria?"

"I knew I could trust him not to tell anyone. Experienced Sun Flame healers have unparalleled perception when it comes to physical and mental health."

Suzume finally tore her eyes away from the board to look at Aoshima.

"You don't want anyone to know, do you?" he said softly. "Just how badly you broke that day."

Suzume didn't try to even utter a word, knowing that even without telling him anything, Kiyoshi understood her possibly more than she understood herself.

"I know you told Hibari. I can tell by the different way he looks at you. But you didn't tell him exactly what happened to _you_, did you?"

Aoshima made his move on the board, capturing Suzume's queen with a bishop- not simply a foolish mistake on her part, but a carefully hidden move on his.

"I saw it the moment you walked in."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 9:30AM_

Reborn watched Seiji from the corner of his eye as they finished off the paperwork for the recent repairs- which had been done in a miniscule fraction of the time they usually would have with the pair in charge of them.

"You know, with all of this conflict going on, the recruits are going to need to be trained more than ever."

"Mn," Seiji agreed.

"I would do it myself, but Timoteo is going to be needing me as well…"

"Are you asking me to do it?"

Reborn sighed. Seiji _knew_ he was asking him to, but it seemed the talk the night before had been fruitless.

"I _know_ we talked a lot last night, Reborn." See. The man could practically read his mind. "But I'm going to have to really think about this. I love you and all, but… If Suzume is going to walk this path, I want there to be something at the end, waiting for her. Some island of safety."

"…What if the path she's chosen has no end?"

Seiji stopped his pen and smiled. "Then at least she'd be able to visit her beginnings."

He looked over to where Reborn was suddenly focused on his own paperwork.

"Alright then, I'll promise you- I won't step foot on a plane until we can all go home together."

The hitman looked up warily. "Are you sure?"

"You know I can't lie to you. Ah- it looks like we've run out of staples. I'll go get some."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 12PM_

Coyote and his squadron were in the infirmary. Or more accurately, the _minority _of his squadron was. The rest were in the hospital run privately on the property, many with injuries that would possibly put them permanently out of commission.

"That went… so wrong," Coyote said to himself, lying down and squeezing his eyes shut, putting a bandaged hand over them.

"No kidding." He could hear Shin's voice from somewhere to his left. "You had to call _me_ to save you. If that's not desperation I don't know what is."

"Oh, the Lightning Squadron did most of the work," Coyote grumbled, sitting up off the infirmary bed and helping Shin and Shou in treating his and Ganauche's men, the nursing staff all called off to the hospital to work on the major cases.

"Damn right we did," one Lightning agent agreed, as Shou cleaned a wound on his back. "And we don't even get to have lovely young nurses in white uniforms to ease our pain afterward…" the agent sighed.

Shou blinked. "Would you like me to get into a uniform?" he said curiously.

The agent turned around slowly to confirm that yes, that _was_ a male's voice, and sweat-dropped. "No, it's fine. I was kidding. Really."

Shin's patient raised a finger, but the redhead cut him off. "Before you ask- yes, I am also male."

Coyote put a palm to his face as the sounds of dreams being crushed into smithereens was almost audible.

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 10PM_

Reborn frowned.

Seiji had left for town twelve hours ago for _staples _and not yet returned. Of course Reborn didn't bother to go after him, as he was known to wander around before really getting things done if they weren't urgent, but by this time of night things felt different.

He had had a gut sense about the pasta chef's true feelings the whole time, from the time they had spent together in Rome until that morning, though, so he wasn't surprised when a maid knocked carefully on his office door and shakily handed him a couple boxes of staples and a note, and then hurriedly excused herself.

'_Dear Reborn. _

_I know 'sorry' can never cover the kind of things I do, so I won't bother. _

_I sort of knew all along that I just can't go back to the world you're in. By the time you read this I'll probably be on a train heading for Milan. It might take me a couple weeks, but I'm going back to Namimori- tell me when you return. Love, Seiji.'_

On a train.

_On a train._

Not a plane.

A bloody _train._

"…Son of a bitch."


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Thank you to Kanako Arichi for shipping in this fic. (Before writing this I hardly knew that people did that. But it seems we do. And it makes me squee a little.) Otakuzen- I'm making sqeuaking sounds and failing to dogeza at the moment because I made a promise to myself back in chapter... three I think that I wouldn't talk about the plot in my ANs. Sorry... (Squeak.) Thank you to azure1996 for simple, yet oh so flattering words. Thank you to furionknight for more encouragement. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for more shipping (Yup, I'm definitely squee-ing.) Thank you to the lovely Lunakatsuma for the TWENTYY-FOURTH kind, kind review in a row. Thank you to EternalSnow (Guest) for awesome glomping. (Yay! My ribcage! Possibly one of the only things around my heart area that isn't trying to kill me.) And thank you to itachiluv18 for yet _more_ flattery. Seriously people. My cardiac health. Look at the size of this paragraph. ACK.**

**(Go on, reader-samas, before I faint from all the blood to my head.)**

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 11PM_

Shin seemed to be holding back a smile as he read the note. "That sounds like my father, all right. He's probably halfway to Switzerland by now."

"I hope he has money for warm clothes," Shou fretted slightly, elbow resting on the table, mouth set in a slight frown. "He's going to be spending a lot of time on Russian tracks."

Reborn yanked down his hat irritably, huffing. "You seem to forget who your father is. Back when he was a mercenary, there wasn't a single bank in Switzerland that didn't know him. He'll be fine."

"He was a mercenary?" Shou asked, eyebrows raising.

"Of a sort. A long, long time ago. How do you think we met?"

Shin gave the scrap of paper back to Reborn, who tucked it away. "Well? What do we tell your little sister?"

"It's not like he left out of disgust or anything. We just tell her the truth. What else?"

Shou agreed with his brother. "She has Kiyoshi-kun and the Wardens to rely on. She'll be fine."

The three men lapsed into a comfortable silence, with that matter done with. A fluffy black cat poked its head out of Shin's coat, who cooed at it quietly as another sandy-colored shorthair mewed from a large outer pocket.

"Shinichi… just how many of those animals did you 'rescue' from the Gatti?" Reborn asked warily.

"A few," the redhead dodged. "The tan one is Nyanko and this one up here is Nyanjiro."

Reborn fixed his gaze. "_How many_, Shinichi?"

"I couldn't leave them there! These ones were rejected for training into weapons and they would've been drowned off if I hadn't taken them."

"_Shinichi_."

"Eleven! It's not that many!"

Reborn stared at the eldest Yukimura sibling while Shou stared at Reborn in wonder.

"Incredible, Reborn-san! You actually managed to weasel something out of Shin! Not even Shizuka-san can do that."

Shin sulked a little in his seat. "You'd think that with such a clear masculine figure one shouldn't be able to do the 'mommy tone' like that…" he muttered.

"What was that now? You want me to take away your cats?"

"NOOOO! Anything but that, oh great Reborn-sama of manliness!"

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 1AM_

Mukuro really didn't know what it was with him and getting up in the middle of the night. If asked, he could probably come up with an elaborate speech about himself being the Mist, the Guardian most closely associated with the deep darkness of the Vongola, but if being perfectly honest, he would just have to say that he had sleep issues.

So it wasn't exactly strange for him to be wandering the hallways in the dead of the night, occasionally lingering around windows to take in the silvery view of the valley under the moonlight.

However, it _was_ the first time he encountered someone doing the same.

One glance in his direction, and Mukuro knew who it was. This was probably strange, seeing as they had interacted a total of two times before, but those magenta eyes were unmistakable.

"I cannot understand how you have hidden your identity from the school for so long, Saya-chan."

"Of all the people to run into… I knew I should have stayed in bed."

Mukuro grinned lazily. While other Wardens had been careful to pay the appropriate amount of respect to the Tenth Generation or just avoid interaction with them completely, Sleet seemed to have no problems with defying both mentalities.

Her previous impressions of the Mist Guardian probably had something to do with that, but he had to give her the credit for not being completely traumatized already.

"Kufu… What has you up at this time of night, little girl?"

Sayaka gave him a wary look. She returned her gaze to the shifting trees outside the window. "Suzume-iinchou and Aoshima-fukuiinchou. It is laughable for me to only realize now, but there are a lot of things that we don't know about them- and worse, they are things that they will not tell us."

Mukuro's grin didn't falter, though his voice lowered. "Have you already forgotten what I have told you? You do not belong here. Your dearest chairmen know this."

Sayaka buried her hands lightly in her hair, rested on either side of her head, as she rested her elbows on one of the sills dividing the floor-to-ceiling window into rectangular sections. "We know," she replied in a smaller voice. "We know we don't belong."

"Then be good children and run along back home," Mukuro said, stating the most obvious thing in the world with undisguised glee. "You can't keep forcing yourselves to do something you know you can't just because of some silly kiddy pact."

Sayaka frowned as the hallway fell back into its deep silence.

"If it were just because of the pact, I would have left Suzume-iinchou a long time ago."

"Really now?" Mukuro hummed. Sayaka quietly ignored the fact that the other was treating her troubles as entertainment material.

"I don't _do_ following people. When Suzume-iinchou and the Detention Committee became an exception, that exception became permanent."

Mukuro seemed even more amused at this. "You really are adorable, aren't you? Still have that idea of loyalty and honor floating around in your pretty little noggin?"

"No, it's floating around in what I like to call my _heart_. Not that you would know anything about that."

Mukuro's grin turned into the smirk he wore when eying a particularly interesting piece of prey. Their eyes locked once again in challenge, Sleet's blazing magenta to Mukuro's mischievous red and blue.

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 9AM_

Aoshima had managed to wrangle himself away from Squalo and his disturbing protectiveness for long enough to gather up the Wardens after breakfast for some training.

It seemed the Varia would be sticking around for a bit as extra security for the Ninth and as reconnaissance agents when needed. Otherwise, their presence on Vongola property would be strictly secret.

"Today we'll be working on your hand-to hand combat. As usual, Sleet and Breeze will be helping me."

The respective Wardens stepped out of the line, going up to stand beside Aoshima on either side of him.

"Do remember that they are both black belts in their respective fields. They will be careful, but you must listen to them just as carefully to ensure your own safety. Now. Shall we start with our Jujitsu expert?"

Breeze nodded to Aoshima as he and Sleet stepped off to one side. The male Warden was of relatively average height, with neat blond hair and subtle, but defined muscle tone. Despite many of the other male Wardens being taller and broader, there were very few that would willingly take on this particular comrade.

"Uh, hello everyone. We've only been over throwing so far, right fukuiinchou? Yeah... but there are other important parts of jujitsu, and some of them are stance and balance. We've learnt a lot about balance from fukuiinchou when he taught us ninjutsu, but balance in judo is a bit different from that kind of delicate kind… we're not using weapons, so it's more about finding a stable root for your own body…"

Suzume watched from a second story window with a fond smile as Aoshima and Yamasaki Touya taught the other Wardens about stance and control in the context of close combat. Despite her initial shock at Aoshima teaching the Wardens how to fight, she figured she should probably be grateful now that they found themselves in the nest of the trouble-magnet organization of the millennium.

There was the faintest of breathes behind her, and she smirked. "Hibari Kyouya, you're going to have to do better than that to sneak up on the Chairman of the Detention Committee."

The Discipline Chairman frowned and stepped in line with her, peering down at her Committee.

"They were incredibly brave to follow you all the way here, but incredibly stupid to stay."

Suzume grinned a little at that. "I guess you can say I taught them to walk the fine line between bravery and stupidity a little less thoroughly."

Hibari turned his back to the sparring figures below, holding out a tonfa for Hibird to perch on.

During the stay at the Vongola Mansion, Hibari occasionally lapsed into casual clothes during lulls between attacks- such as he had that particular day, in a thin, deep violet sweater and a pair of absurdly tight grey denim jeans borrowed from Gokudera. Suzume politely did not laugh at how he kept tugging his sweater down in an attempt to make up for the low cut, muttering about visiting town soon.

Suzume and Aoshima had a wide variety of clothes between them, Suzume not owning many skirts or dresses, and so making it possible for the two to pool their wardrobe. They were pretty much the same size however, so everything fit fine, unlike the pants the Tenth Cloud Guardian had to pull up every few minutes.

"I'm sorry, but that is really ridiculous. What happened to your own pants?"

"…Which pair, specifically?"

Suzume made a light snorting sound and shook her head. "Nevermind. Do you want me to lend you something? We're about the same height."

Hibari shifted uncomfortably again, this time tugging at the waistband at his back. "If you would."

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 9AM_

Timoteo nodded to Coyote. "And now for the report on our recent attempt at infiltrating the Gatti outpost."

Timoteo, his Guardians, Xanxus, and Reborn were sitting together in the main conference room. There was an empty seat next to Reborn that he occasionally gave bitter looks.

"I'm going to get straight to the point. The Gatti revealed to us a shocking secret weapon during our unexpected invasion. It seems that they, and if not already, then soon, the entire Asphodel Alliance, have learnt to use Dying Will Flames."

Bouche Croquant raised an eyebrow. "Now _that_ I did not see coming," he muttered.

"But how? Where could they possibly have learnt to harness them?" Timoteo asked.

"We do not know yet. But the point is that we have lost a fair amount of our only advantage. From here, even if we call on all of our allies and _all_ of them respond, with the level of skill that the Gatti displayed- if we assume that all the Asphodel ex-Famiglia possess that sort of skill- then we would _still _be at a fearsome disadvantage."

Reborn pulled his fedora down. "Coyote, calm down. You're starting to lose grammatical sense."

"This is _no time_ to calm down! If we don't take some drastic action, the Vongola has a very real chance of being struck down almost effortlessly!"

The room went silent. Xanxus played with a small flame on the end of his thumb like a lighter, flicking the thumb tip with his index finger and then sliding it back under, repeating this in an uneven rhythm.

Reborn watched this, knowing that from his distance, such a small Flame of Wrath looked like a normal sky flame, but was in fact a perfect fusion of Sky and Storm. The thought of the fusion of flames brought his thoughts to Gokudera and his multi-flame abilities, and then onto the man hailed Prince for his abilities to harness multiple flames to the extent of being able to represent for an entire season's sky-staining colors.

As the room eventually silenced completely, even Xanxus having stopped fidgeting, Reborn heaved a sigh and brought everyone's attention to him.

"It's always that son of a bitch, isn't it?"

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 9:30AM_

Squalo frowned deeply as he stalked along the hallway. First he hadn't been allowed to attend the damn strategic meeting when he was the _Strategic Captain_ of the Varia, and then he had lost track of his seven-years-younger cousin, who had promised him a spar.

He finally found the door labeled 'K. Aoshima & S. Yukimura', muttering something about manliness and sharing a room with a girl, and listened for voices. When he heard them, he flung the door open.

"VOIIII DAMN BASTARD- wha?"

Squalo was greeted with the sight of Hibari Kyouya looking very confused in a dark purple sweater and a black skirt.

Hibari slid his hand down the garment all the way to the hem to confirm that _yes,_ it _was_ indeed a skirt, looked back up at Squalo, and then gave Suzume the mother of all death glares.

"Whoops. I thought that was Kiyoshi's pair of balloon pants. Sorry. He's too skinny…"

"...You _thought_."

Squalo had another take on the matter. "Kiyoshi owns balloon pants?"

"Well, not really _balloon_ balloon pants, its part of his shinobi shouzoku. He has a spare pair, and other things we've tried have turned out just as uncomfortable as Gokudera's jeans."

Hibari was still fixated on the first part of that sentence. "Why does Aoshima own a ninja uniform?"

Squalo, leaning on the doorframe and making himself comfortable as Hibari stepped out of the skirt and Suzume handed him another pair of pants to try, was the one to explain that one.

"When he was little he had a hard time learning Italian, and at that time the only proper Varia member that spoke _fluent_ Japanese was an expert in ninjutsu. Kiyoshi took to it like a fish to water."

"Ah. That pair fits fine. They're mine, so that saves me explaining to Kiyoshi as well."

Hibari peered down at the pair of track-pants and sighed internally. At least it wasn't as obvious he was wearing women's clothing.

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Gatti Outpost, approximately 6PM_

"Did you see the looks on their faces, Felice? As if the world had ended the moment another Famiglia uncovered the secrets of this Will Flame." A relatively young girl with deep, dark maroon hair had crystal blue eyes alight with mirth.

The young man standing beside where she was seated at her desk bowed lightly, narrowly dodging a falling piece of the dilapidated ceiling, brushing plaster out of his dark brown hair. "Yes, my lady. It was beautiful."

"And now they shall feel it too, no? They will finally get a taste of their own medicine and know what it is like to feel so, so small."

Felice noticed his mistress's eyes travelling to the framed photo on her desk, the glass long having been shattered and tossed away. It was a photo of a beautiful redheaded woman beside a tall, stately young Don. He had been the fifth Boss- and the last.

The servant gently flipped the portrait face-down onto the desk, and helped his mistress out of her chair. "Come, my lady. We have troops to train."

"Felice."

He obediently stopped and turned to face her.

"I will take glee in their struggle. I will laugh at their desperation. I will be happy as they fall and crumble into even less than we are, as they feel several times over the pain of all those like us, who they have sent wandering into the meaningless fields of Asphodel."

Felice's expression did not change as she walked past him, curls bouncing innocently over her shoulder as she turned her cold, empty eyes away from him.

"Please do not think less of me."

* * *

_Monday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 8PM_

Reborn sighed as he stepped into the library, and closed the door after him. Aoshima and Suzume, playing chess exactly where he knew they would be, turned to him in surprise as he sat down in front of the empty fireplace, and beckoned them to come to him.

"Aoshima. Suzume. I have something to ask of you that will not be easy to agree to."

"Oh dear," Suzume said softly, as she sat in an armchair, Kiyoshi leaning against the armrest.

"Long story short, we, the Vongola, are in deep trouble. The Asphodel Alliance has learnt how to use Dying Will Flames, and we've lost our only advantage. Now they undoubtedly overwhelm us. We need to regain that advantage, and fast, because now that we've discovered their secret weapon, they will be trying their hardest to attack before we're ready."

Aoshima took a seat on the ground next to Suzume's feet, sensing this was going to be a long one.

"We've been discussing back and forth what we should do, but one consensus is that we need your father, Suzume, back. He is undoubtedly one of, if not _the_ best of Flame wielders of the century. We intend to try and convince him to teach some fighters how to wield multiple flames and use them in battle."

"If you're asking me to help bring him back, I'm sorry, but I will not do that. My father's choice is his own."

"No, that's not it. I can take care of that later. But one topic of concern that we also discussed is how long it will take someone to learn to wield flames Seiji's way. Older non-flame fighters will have more issues lighting their flames for the first time, and experienced flame users such as the Guardians and their teams will take almost just as much time trying to relearn after years of habit."

Suzume didn't really like where this was going, but she sat through it anyways.

"Of course then there's Tsuna and his guardians, but they're currently busy training their Vongola Gear, which in my opinion they should stick with. So what I wanted to ask you to was…"

"Was?"

Reborn pulled his fedora lower. "Lend us your numbers. When I get Seiji to return, please let him teach your Wardens how to wield multiple flames and train them as our new army."

There was silence.

"They are young, they are fresh, and they obviously have a lot of potential. I am asking you to better your Wardens so they can fight better in this war."

"So they can be used as guinea pig soldiers for the Vongola," Suzume said with no intonation. Reborn knew not to correct her too hastily.

"Suzume…If they are going to stay, they need to be strong. This is the perfect arrangement."

"_This _will be putting my Wardens in _unthinkable danger_." The hitman almost visibly blanched at the lilting, hissing tone that was creeping into Suzume's voice. He had feared this.

But he was Reborn, and he always made sure that he got his way.

"We'll do it, iinchou."

Suzume's eyes went back to their normal state in a flash as she whipped around to see her Wardens filing in, White leading them.

"Reborn-san already told us everything we need to know about what Flames are and what we'll be doing. We want to do it. We want to be strong for you… and for Sawada-kaichou's… Famiglia."

Suzume slowly turned back to Reborn. But her irises stayed normal, so he figured he wasn't going to die just yet.

"_Well played, Reborn. But do you know the consequences?"_

...So close.


	26. Chapter 26

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the long gap- was doing a little proofreading, going through the story for typos and stuff. (It felt like an ultimate form of narcissism reading my own story.) **

**Thank you to Kanako Arichi for extreme motivation to write! Thank you to itachiluv18 for the praise and yet more speculation about the dubious pairings. (Well there's technically _stuff_ going on. They're interacting. Eheh.) Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for giving me the mental image of a century. (Shin the forever-alone cat-man that can also conveniently kill you with a twitch of a finger. I _must_ work this in at some point. And your review also made me laugh and squee a little. ^^) Thank you, thank, you, _thank you_ to HeavenlyShadeOfBlue for pointing out my really embarassing typo. (That's what I get for editing the same sentence about four times. I went through the rest of the story to scour for them and found so many. T_T And your praise also made me cry a little. Just a little. Enough to make a watery I LOVE YOU on my desk.) Thank you Furionknight for extreme motivation. Thank you Paigecat for giving me yet another image. (Tsuna the Coffee-Deprived Demonic Overlord.) And thank you, of course, to lady Lunakatsuma for writing a review with such a lovely piece of praise, which also DOESN'T EVEN FIT IN MY BROWSER WINDOW ASDFGHHKJLHKDH-**

**(The writer is now busy squeeing for the nth time over reviews. Please go ahead, reader-samas.)**

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 3AM_

Reborn sat wearily down at the foot of his bed, taking off his fedora and setting it on top of his duvet, smoothing his hair back.

He really shouldn't have let Seiji breed.

But it was done- the matter was resolved. Suzume was unhappy, but with reasoning from him, the Wardens, and Aoshima who eventually found the pros to outweigh the cons, the Chairman had temporarily relented and agreed.

Temporarily.

But Reborn was hoping that the results of the special training would make her decision more permanent.

Speaking of the training, the _trainer_, Seiji, was most likely already in Switzerland. Making a few quick calculations and very accurate guesses of the ex-mercenary's habits, Reborn had little to no doubt that he would stay over in Zurich to fetch some money and rest until the morning, when he would set for Liechenstein and from there up towards Austria and through Ukraine.

He would avoid Germany as he had enemies in Berlin that had influences in Munich as well, and also Belarus for similar reasons, and so would be slowed down a bit with having to cross the borders of Austria, Hungary, and Ukraine. By Wednesday afternoon he'd probably be in Moscow, where he could take the Trans-Siberian Express train to reach the other end of Russia- specifically the city of Vladivostok- in six days. Then a nine-hour ferry ride across the Sea of Japan to Fushiki, and he was home free.

Within a fortnight, Seiji would be back in Namimori. Reborn had no doubts about that. The train and ferry systems of Europe and Asia were as familiar to the pasta chef as the back of his hand. He was one of the only people in the world that could plan a route so quickly after making his decision and then be daring enough to execute it.

But still, as reluctantly as Reborn himself would admit it, this meant that the only person that could catch him and bring him back, the only person that Seiji dell'Inverno was _second_ to, was Reborn himself.

That only left the issue of exactly _how_ Reborn would convince him to _stay_. As much as he had reassured Suzume to gain her confidence, Reborn was still quite stumped with just _how_ he would make Seiji remain once he had brought him back to Sicily.

With a groan, Reborn stood and started shedding his suit in preparation to shower. He would cross that bridge when he got to it, but he would leave as soon as he had informed Tsuna.

The Vongola jets only held so much fuel at a time, you know.

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, 7AM_

Tsuna dashed his eyes from one list to the other, piece of toast held in his mouth in between. He set down his breakfast carefully on the plate, swallowed what he had in his mouth, and spoke.

"I never knew that the Vongola had so many allies. How do you keep track of them all?"

Timoteo chuckled. "After a few banquets, it gets pretty easy to remember who's who. We don't get new allies or lose old ones very often, so most likely you will work with more or less the same group of Famiglias for your entire time as Don. Highlighted in red are those that we can call on to fight, while those in blue would probably be able to support with supplies at the most…"

That morning, Reborn had kicked Tsuna out of bed at 4AM to tell him simply that he was going after Seiji. In his sleep-deprived state, the brunet had simply affirmed the fact and then crawled back into bed, but now that he was fully conscious, he wondered a bit at exactly what Seiji would _do_ in Sicily when Reborn took him back. But he only had time to mull on it for a moment, before Timoteo moved onto another document.

The Vongola were gathering allies and fighters. Weapons were being hauled out of storage and renewed, and stray chunks of the Famiglia reeled in from all across the world. The Vongola, for what must have been the umpteenth time, were preparing for war.

"…and to fill up the core of the invasions will be a special team that Reborn and Yukimura Seiji are going to be training. Everyone else will be-"

"Wait," Tsuna snapped to attention. "Reborn's training a team?"

Timoteo smiled and nodded. "Yes, though I assume he's been secretive towards you about that. Don't worry, he trusts you and your Guardians to keep doing what you're doing, and so he and the Principe will be training others."

"Oh… okay. Right. You were saying about the rest of the invasion parties?..."

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters (Training Grounds), approximately 9AM_

Suzume looked at each of her Wardens for an equal amount of time, face neutral.

She had a reason to be within the Vongola walls- a secret to keep, people to protect. Her Wardens, as much as she admired their loyalty, did not.

Reborn was undoubtedly a smooth talker. Her tightrope-walking Wardens, trained under Aoshima Kiyoshi himself, had been persuaded to his side within mere hours.

White was the only one that dared to speak up. "Suzume-iinchou. We don't want to disobey you, but we have made our decision about this. We want to stay, and to stay, we must be strong."

Suzume shook her head. "I know," she said simply. "I never ordered you not to do this, so I'm not angry. At you, at least."

Aoshima, Shin, and surprisingly, Shou, were talking quietly in the background while Suzume talked to the Wardens. The Detention Committee was all in their white Gi, Suzume included, while Shin and Shou were in light t-shirts and shorts.

The redhead looked at Suzume quietly dressing down her Wardens with a small fond smile.

"You know, when I first created the Detention Committee, I never thought it would last so long. It was only that that particular year in Namigaku had an especially bad batch of delinquents, and the Discipline Committee didn't have enough time to deal with them all."

Aoshima could imagine how Hibari had probably responded to that. But then he remembered that these were events of twelve years past, and Hibari had only ruled the Discipline Committee for what- nine, ten years? Since he started his third year of primary school, if the records were correct. Which was dubious, but hey- Hibari Kyouya here.

"But the principal didn't disband us at the end of the year- in fact she gave us an award for service and the basement as our own. I guess the rest is history."

Shou chuckled. "Including that war you had with nine-year-old Hibari-kun when he took over the Disciplinary Committee."

"Ah, nostalgia. I think that little scuffle should be given credit for molding little Kyouya-chan into the fighter he is today."

Suzume turned to face her eldest brother. "'Kyouya-chan?'"

"Only when he's not around," Shin said hastily, eyes dashing around the training grounds, as if the prefect would suddenly pop up in the middle of the flat field. "Anyway, let's get started with the training. Before dad arrives, we should probably strengthen their bodies and resolve bit first."

"You'll have a good foundation; Kiyoshi's been training them since April."

"And it's almost the end of July… that's what, a good three months? We can go lighter on the dexterity training then. We all know Kiyoshi's a dexterity freak," Shin grinned.

* * *

_Wednesday, Moscow_

_Yaroslavsky Station, approximately 5AM (Moscow Time is three hours ahead of Italian/Central European Time)_

Reborn had arrived in Moscow the day before, and had waited all day for Seiji to show up at the Yaroslavsky to take the Trans-Siberian Express. He had known that the man would most likely arrive in Moscow on Wednesday, but had been taking no chances. What he was certain about was that the ground-bound pasta chef would take the Trans-Siberian. He knew him too well.

The main train from Kiev, Ukraine arrived at around twenty to seven in the morning, but knowing Seiji he could have hitched onto something smaller and earlier. The only train that had no equal was the Trans-Siberian- hence Reborn's certainty that he would be able to catch Seiji at the train station that it left from.

The fedora-donning hitman was sitting low in a rented car, feeling like a jilted wife sneaking after her sleazy husband. Even the thought of his and Seiji's relationship in that light sent shivers of disgust up his spine, but if he was being honest with himself, that was probably exactly how he looked as well.

Alright, so he had put on a disguise. It was only natural. So he was wearing casual clothing and sunglasses with a white fedora and maybe a tiny little bit of lipstick and rouge. That in no way implied that he didn't wear the pants in the relationship. Anyway, he had worn costumes all the time in Arcobaleno form. It wasn't anything unusual. At all.

* * *

_Wednesday, Moscow_

_Kazanskaya Station, approximately 3:30PM (Moscow Time)_

A dark-haired man wearing a pale tan sweater and a thick white scarf, messenger bag slung across his shoulders, looked down at his ticket from Moscow to Ekaterinburg with a small hidden smile.

The difference between him and Reborn was a chasm of epic proportions, but one thing that the hitman had never seemed to be able to grasp fully was that Seiji knew him just as well as Reborn knew Seiji.

He knew him so well that he knew already- in that moment that he was writing the note to leave him, he knew that Reborn would come after him for one reason or another. For Family affairs, to recruit for the war, to keep the rest of his family in line- there were a multitude of reasons and Reborn would act on any of them.

And so he would take a plane- or more likely, a jet- as he had made no promises to stay ground-bound like Seiji had, and get to Moscow before he did to stake out the Trans-Siberian's station.

He had promised her. He had promised his Mona that he would not get involved in that world once Suzume was born. He had promised her in her last breaths that if not the entire family, then at least he himself should try his hardest to turn his back on the Mafia.

He could feel the ring cold against his chest. Just how well had he fulfilled that wish? He himself was bound for Ekaterinburg to catch up with the Trans-Siberian there to skirt around Reborn, but was that enough? When all their children were left behind in Sicily in the middle of what was possibly going down in history as the Third Mafia War?

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 4PM (Japan Standard Time)_

"Sasagawa-san! The Cat Room's exploded!"

Kyoko blinked curiously for a moment. She had been going through letters from students at Tsuna's desk in the President's office when Enma had burst through the doors, looking very alarmed.

"I'm sorry; I don't think I heard you right. What's exploded?"

"One of the Detention Centre rooms! Oh, I _knew _we shouldn't have opened it. Come quickly!"

Kyoko followed that frazzled Enma out the door past Fujiwara at the coffee table, who stared after them.

"So this is what happens when half the chain of command goes missing… Midori must be careful to avoid a similar situation… Kamiyama will definitely come up with something," the kaichou muttered as he got out his cell phone.

* * *

_Wednesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 5PM (Central European Time)_

Tsuna watched with a raised eyebrow and a slight sweat-drop as the Wardens filed into the building, presumably to take showers before dinner.

They were moving at a brisk pace, but the looks on their faces said it all. Some such as a particular redheaded girl simply held a grim, set expression, while others such as the brunet boy beside her looked half a step from death. Tsuna could almost see the boy's soul escaping.

"Mukuro… any idea what they've been doing?"

The indigo-haired Mist shrugged, Tsuna's stack of files in his arms. "I saw them make a few laps of the headquarters' training grounds this morning, but I think they were in the forest after that."

Tsuna let out an "Eheh."

_Evidently_, from the brown and green stains on their previously pristine Gi.

* * *

_Wednesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 7PM_

Timoteo beamed over his dessert. "Today was productive, wasn't it, Tsuna-kun? We sent out all the letters to our allies, oversaw the recruiting process, helped Coyote's team with rough invasion sketches, visited the Merlo Famiglia, welcomed the returned Family members, and inspected all the equipment that arrived yesterday."

Schnitten raised an eyebrow. "In that order?"

Tsuna himself nodded to Timoteo. Though it had been a tiring day, he was finally settling into this whole Famiglia business and he felt good to be useful, even if it was just as the fresh face by the Ninth's side.

Each of the tasks on the list probably should've taken the average person a whole day, but Timoteo breezed through them as if he had done it a thousand times before- which now, when Tsuna thought about it, was entirely plausible.

"Where's Reborn-san?" Gokudera asked, nodding to the empty seat.

"Now? I'm not sure. Maybe somewhere in India," Tsuna shrugged. "I don't remember the details, but he's gone to get Seiji-san."

"He left the grounds? Why?" Gokudera exclaimed. "There's so much to do here! Why did he leave at such a critical time?"

Before Tsuna could reply, a blast of purple light shattered the dining room windows.

* * *

_Wednesday, Moscow_

_Yaroslavsky Station, approximately 10:30PM (Moscow Time)_

Reborn took off his sunglasses and tossed them onto the empty passenger seat, swearing as he looked again at the time. The Trans-Siberian had left over an hour ago. Seiji hadn't shown up.

After thinking for a moment, he slapped his forehead on the steering wheel.

"Son of a bitch skipped Moscow."

The hitman sighed and put his sunglasses back on, getting out of the car. He was wearing a thin, relatively short black trench coat that held everything he needed- gun, phone, multiple fake passports, several currencies, and a map of Russia and surrounding countries.

As he abandoned the rented car, heading for the station himself, two extremely drunk-looking tourists stumbled towards him. They looked him up and down- at his sunglasses, red lipstick, black coat, pantyhose and heeled boots.

"Hey! Hey _krasotka_." Reborn winced at the butchered Russian. These men were obviously fluent only in two languages- Obnoxious and Drunk.

"How much, babydoll?" the other grinned, stepping in close and- was he sniffing at him?

In his impatience to get on a train and catch up to the 'son of a bitch', Reborn had to stop for a moment to understand what the man was implying. He turned slowly to look at both of them, their wide grins and wandering eyes, and promptly shot a leg up to send them both flying into one of the metal fences, knocked out cold for up to forty-eight hours, depending on the weather.

"Свиньи," Reborn muttered as he walked away.

Pigs.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Bakery, 6:31AM (Japanese Standard Time)_

Sasagawa Kyoko had recently started up a habit where she would visit the bakery in the morning for a small savory treat before facing school and the student council in all its horror. It wasn't that she disliked being at the top of the Council now that Tsuna and the rest had gone on a trip, but she _was_ starting to realize how the small, energetic brunet had developed such an addiction to coffee.

Leaning over the glass case and humming happily, she took her time picking out her breakfast, chatting amiably with the baker as he popped in and out of his kitchen. They would talk every morning, be it about the weather, recent additions to the menu, or even the baker's cat, Juutaro.

This particular morning they talked about all three, in a story which described Juutaro sleeping in the sunlight that morning by the baker's bed and inspiring a new bread roll.

Neither saw the shadow slipping silently inside the shop.

* * *

_Wednesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 10PM_

"Somebody _please_ get me a coffee," Tsuna pleaded. "Please. I'm begging you."

Chrome frowned. "But Boss, it's so late; you won't be able to sleep…"

"_Please,"_ he moaned, palm over his face, the blood-spackled notice in his other hand.

It had been another Gatti invasion, only this one was quite different from any previous Asphodel invasions. The Gatti fighters used their flames freely, most of them with the storm or cloud attribute. Many of them were quite skilled, to a level that three or more of them could overwhelm one of Timoteo's Guardians.

Tsuna and the Tenth Generation had been able to fend them off in the end, but many Famiglia members, most of them newly returned to the Mansion, had been hurt badly in the battle. Even the Varia hadn't been able to come out of that one completely unscathed.

Shin showed to be unexpectedly proficient with his flames- both Storm and Lightning. He had been able to create shields to protect some, such as Timoteo. Shou was nowhere to be seen, but there were many crossbow bolts buried in Gatti fighters that he was probably responsible for.

The Detention Committee had generally held up well- many injured, but none very seriously. There were perhaps few burns here and there and a few broken bones, but those things would heal. Squalo and Lussuria had been trying in earnest to protect them, along with Aoshima and Suzume, and they had been quite successful.

But none of that mattered anymore. No matter how much Tsuna tried, he couldn't get in contact with Reborn, and there was no way any of them at the Mansion would make it.

They were fighting in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Underneath the stains of battle blood and Tsuna's frustrated tears, the notice said:

'_You will suffer as we have suffered._

_Feel the loss of one and imagine our loss of thousands._

_Namimori, Japan_

_6:30AM_

_Kyoko Sasagawa'_


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: ...I-I'm really sorry. I swear. I really don't have much excuse for such a long gap, and you all left such lovely reviews as well. Please forgive me. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for the really undeserved praise (My head does implode a little sometimes, but that's more from trying to find where I put my randomly scribbled plot notes than anything else). Thank you to blizzard 10 for yet _more_ blush-worthy praise. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for letting me know I'm not alone when it comes to the heart condition thing. Thank you to Furionknight for yet more motivation (It's really appreciated). Thank you to HeavenlyShadeOfBlue for more _great_ advice- yours is the kind of advice I really look for and love on FF. Thank you to Lunakatsuma for some really epic dedication to getting that review in... and for continually reminding me that my heart is there by giving it multiple mini attacks with every review. (SRSLY. LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT THING. IT'S LONGER THAN MY LIST OF SHIN'S KITTIES- Oh and thanks for the tip. I think I'll change it). And finally, thank you to arice-chan for face-reddening praise and MOTIVATION! -squee- -cough- -hack-**

**Here. Sorry. Go on, reader-samas.**

* * *

_Thursday, Ekaterinburg_

_Koltsovo International Airport (Domestic Terminal), approximately 6AM (Yekaterinburg Time, Palermo +5 hours)_

Reborn stepped out of the helicopter with grace and a sweet smile to the pilot, who bid him goodbye in a dream-swept manner.

The little detail being, of course, that the pilot still thought Reborn was female.

It was simply easier to get around quickly when a coy smile could get one aboard a helicopter that was meant to be delivering urgent parcels. Without killing anyone.

As he- she- the Yukimura-complex-ridden Reborn made his way gracefully into the main building of the airport, he was immediately hit with bustle and noise. With a sigh, he took it in stride and took his time finding the exit and hailing a cab.

Both of which activities were so much easier wearing a woman's coat and tights.

See?

Reborn had plenty of time. A few tears in front of the ticket booth in Moscow, and Reborn had found out that the train Seiji had taken was most likely the Ural Express which arrived in Ekaterinburg at six at night. The Trans-Siberian arrived in Ekaterinburg at around eleven and left almost at midnight, so Reborn had a big window to catch the pasta chef in.

Just a few more smiles to get the station to inform him as soon as the Ural arrived, and Reborn could spend the rest of the day enjoying the city that the Romanovs were so famously murdered in.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 1AM_

Tsuna's head was lolling back over the edge of the dining table chair, eyes closed, left and massaging his temples. People bustled around him, murmuring softly, most working on helping the Family recover from the recent Gatti attack.

He took an even breath in, and out.

He was lucky. So phenomenally lucky. And yet, just in those few hours of agonizing over Kyoko's safety, he had realized something.

He had known fear for other's safety before, countless times- it came with the profession. It came with his blood, his power, his Family.

But the feeling that he had had when dear, innocent Kyoko was pulled into his evils- perhaps that was how those dissolved Famiglias had felt, when they were punished as a whole for actions that may have only been the decisions of a few.

Tsuna knew that if that ever happened to him, if he was ever the one to be left behind like that, he would barely be able to stand living, let alone have the strength to stand up and plot revenge.

He was ridiculously, phenomenally lucky.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Namimori Bakery, 6:32AM_

"Oh, hello there, young man. You must be new to town, I don't know your name."

Kyoko turned around to see a tall, intimidating teenager leaning against the wall of the bakery wearing a dark grey hoodie and slim black jeans. His pitch-black hair completed his air of darkness- of something distinctly demonic.

"Ano… Do I know you?…" Kyoko said, tilting her head to the side.

The teenager slowly pushed himself off the wall, making his way to the bakery counter with long, heavy steps, hair still obscuring his face. By this point the baker had lost his cheerful expression and was alert, fingers straying to the icing spatula in his apron.

A low, dangerous voice trickled from the figure. "I have recently become a businessman in this area. Yoroshiku onegaishimasu." He handed the man a plain grey business card. The baker's eyebrows furrowed and then flattened as he tried to hide his shock.

The boy turned to Kyoko, stepping close to her, seeming to be observing her. Uneasily, she noticed screaming coming from outside the bakery right at that moment, out in the street.

"Ano… who are you?"

The baker's hand fell away from his apron pocket, and he immediately straightened himself up, pulling at his apron, wiping the flour off his hands, and generally looking like he was trying his hardest to not be caught doing anything wrong.

The dark hair lifted from his face as he raised his chin, looking the girl in the eye. He was holding a gaze so intimidating even the oblivious Kyoko swallowed nervously a bit before her eyes widened. "You're…"

He sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. "Please tell Sawada-kaichou in the near future that no matter _how_ urgent, six in the morning is _never_, I repeat, _never_ a godly hour to wake me at."

Kyoko was floored. "O-Ootori Kyouya-san?"

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 1:30AM_

Tsuna exited his shower and picked up his cellphone, reading Ootori's hourly status report. The small Gatti base in Namimori had been found and eliminated easily- it had yet to be fully developed and was more a rickety barn on the edge of town that anything else.

The Ootori private police had taken care of it in minutes upon discovery, the few Gatti agents operating from there kept in special rooms of the hospital that Ootori Kyouya had just happened to purchase in Namimori a few days prior.

What was worrying Tsuna, even though he knew that without a doubt that Ouran's Shadow King would look after his friends and family, was that the situation was becoming too similar to what had happened in Palermo. They had been attacked, a base had been found and destroyed, but that had only been the tip of the iceberg.

What if the Asphodel Alliance had rooted into Japan as well? They had started with going after the Ninth in Sicily, would they now attack the home of the Tenth?

Tsuna sat on his bed wearily and thought long and hard, hand over his mouth. The mansion was deadly quiet, the cleanup of the Gatti damage having been left to the next morning.

The Vongola Decimo sighed and stood, grabbing the jeans and hoodie that had been thrown on the floor and dressing himself, grabbing his gloves. His mind always worked better closer to the sky.

* * *

_Thursday, Ekaterinburg_

_Random street, approximately 7PM (Yekaterinburg Time, Palermo +5 hours)_

The man in the tan sweater walked slowly through the bustling city, messenger bag thrown behind him to free his hands. He wandered into a few specific shops that he remembered, and stopped at parks that he held memories in, and breathed in the nostalgic air of the fourth largest city in Russia.

Seiji had at least _visited_ almost all the major cities of the world, if not lived in them for short stints. Ekaterinburg was one of those that he had spent more time in than most others, the first city in his life he had called home, as a previously-homeless underage mercenary of the Russian Mafia.

His childhood was anything but exciting- in fact, it was probably happier than most despite the fact he had been put up for adoption by his birth parents, who he actually had never found out the identities of- he knew at least one of them was Japanese by his appearance, but he had never quite known where his golden-yellow eyes had come from.

He had been taken in by a kind, elderly Japanese couple who taught him all the good ways to live his life, and had consistently drilled good manners and morals into him right up until the night they were shot as bystanders in a Yakuza feud. He had been ten years old at the time.

The rest of his story would probably have been hailed as legendary if anyone had ever known more than uneven fragments of it.

Most of the more well-informed Russian Families such as the Giegue could probably tell you the tale of a sweet little boy who relished in killing, and would join any war and any battle just to taste some blood.

Then some other stories in Hong Kong would tell you of a mild-mannered, warm young man who was sly and conniving underneath, always getting the best of any deal, who slipped around the underworld like a black serpent stalking only the biggest prey.

And still more stories in any country from Romania to France to Norway would tell of the yellow-eyed man as anything from a generous saint who saved orphans from a fire and then helped rebuild their home, to a cold-hearted murderer who made entire political circles disappear overnight.

In Italy, his presence had been like a huge invisible pressure to Famiglias everywhere for many years, as he settled and decided to make Rome his base of operations. There he became a true story of the shadows- nothing was certain about him.

But of course, one part of his story that _was_ known for certain to be _fact, _was that during a war in which the Italian Famiglia that had hired him had been severely disadvantaged, he met a Vongola representative sent to help, and together they used the small, insignificant army to defeat an enemy made up of three collaborating whole and functioning Famiglias, one of them a minor powerhouse.

Of course, there were debates that the Family that they had been protecting was easy to protect because of its small size; and that weather and geography could have given advantages, but those were typical criticisms of any battle, and they were not the point of this event.

The point was that Seiji dell'Inverno had met Reborn of the Vongola, and the Underworld would never be the same after that.

In the present, the man in the tan sweater sat down heavily on a park bench and closed his eyes, breathing in the scent of the grass and the trees, letting himself, if just for a moment, dwell pleasantly on the past for a moment. He didn't do that often- he almost never did it on purpose.

But back in the city of his youth, of where he had made countless friends and enemies, he couldn't help but think back on the memories he shared with both the best friend he had ever had, and the biggest enemy he had ever had to face. The fact that they were the same person only made reminiscing easier.

They had been inseparable for years, that was true; and Seiji had given up being a mercenary to join him in his business. They could either be hired individually or as a pair, but either way the customer would be hiring the top of the best of the best.

He wasn't quite sure when the distinction between them as first and second started, but it didn't matter, as that had snowballed and the whole Battaglia mess then happened.

But then again, thanks to that mess he had been able to meet Simonetta of the Battaglia and been able to rescue her from her Famiglia's dissolution. Not to mention falling in love with her, marrying her, and becoming the father of her children.

But Seiji would always wonder what his life would have been like if he hadn't ran away like a little child and had stayed with that man to the end. Would he still be anything like who he was that present day?

But oh, speak of the devil. Seiji stood as he sensed his old partner's presence and turned to see a sweetly smiling woman in a dark coat and a white fedora.

At the first hint of killing intent, Yukimura Seiji ran like the wind.

He may have been the world's second best hitman at some point, but the title of first would always go to Reborn.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 2:30PM_

Mukuro stepped quietly into the room and drew back the curtains to reveal the sun high in the sky, casting a burning heat out over Sicily. While he himself was long already dressed in dark jeans, a white dress shirt and a loose navy tie, a tuft of fluffy brown hair that was poking out from underneath the duvet cover ducked lower into the bed, accompanied by a small moaning.

"Tsunayoshi, it's almost time for afternoon tea. You have to get up at some point; you've overslept half the day already."

"Go away," the duvet lump grumbled.

"What were you doing last night? You've never slept this much before"

"Went out flying," Tsuna grumbled. "Get out of my room, Mukuro."

"Flying where, to China? Get up." Mukuro commanded mildly, as he stepped over beside the bed and was about to flip the smaller brunet out of bed before a hand shot out and grabbed him by the tie, bringing him closer to Tsuna's killer glare.

"Lately I have had a stress pile the size of Kyouya-san's pride, so I am going to take a freaking _break_, and no one can stop me. Do you want to get out or serve as a stress ball again?"

Mukuro looked surprised for a moment, and then his expression softened into an indulgent smile. "I'll bring you some coffee."

"Thank you." And with that the five-foot fury sank back into his bed and made a small sound of contentment, as Mukuro shut the door behind him with the utmost care.

* * *

_Thursday, Ekaterinburg_

_Iset River Dam, approximately 10:30PM_

The Iset River Dam probably didn't look like what most people thought of as a dam. The site actually looked more like a park built around the river, with a wide pedestrian concrete bridge. Concrete ground surrounded the river, with long stone steps on either side that could be sat on to observe the gentle water.

This location was known as the heart of the city- and some newlywed couples took this in a romantic sense, the proof of their love forever latched onto the upper railing of the dam, in little locks that had had their keys thrown away into the river. Hundreds, maybe thousands of locks hung from the railing, making it look like confetti had been thrown at the metal fencing and then been stuck there, an array of bright and buoyant colors.

They made Seiji wonder just how many of those marriages had lasted, and Reborn wonder if the railing was going to have to be replaced at some point before it bent with the weight of the locks.

After a long series of events that would be pointless to recount, which involved alarming many feral alley cats, making people yell at them in angry Russian, and eventually getting stinking drunk, Reborn and Seiji sat together on the bank of the Iset River, sprawling a little on the concrete steps, watching in the dark as the water muttered and whispered as it flowed by.

"Did you ever come here with her?" Reborn asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"No. Too dangerous." Seiji yawned. "The point of getting out of Italy in the first place was to get _away_ from the Mafia. I know too many people here."

Reborn nodded. Seiji smiled.

"Why is it nowadays that the only way we can talk properly is when we've consumed enough alcohol to kill us both a dozen times over?"

"Perhaps in hope that we'll actually be killed from it," Reborn mused.

Over the course of the evening, Reborn had gathered a very good gist of why Seiji stayed away from the Mafia so vehemently- to the point of abandoning his own children.

"Do you really want me to go back so badly as to cross-dress and chase me across a country I know like the back of my hand?"

Reborn had since reverted back to his normal suit and fedora, Leon included, and he shrugged as the chameleon crawled onto his finger. "You wouldn't have let me catch you if you weren't having doubts."

Seiji didn't reply. He knew that Reborn had his doubts planned out completely in his head.

Reborn continued. "Things like if you're going to go abandoning someone again. If this is really what she would have wanted."

As a quick note here, both Seiji and Reborn were quite good at holding their liquor, and therefore were still very much quite coherent even when drunk to high heaven. The difference was that while they kept their coherency, inhibition was sacrificed.

Otherwise Reborn would have never brought up what he was about to say.

"And that promise you made to me, before you even met your 'Monetta, your 'Mona'." Reborn chuckled.

Seiji turned to look at him. "I thought you would have forgotten about that a long time ago."

"Like I can ever forget such sappy words. I should have known something was wrong when you said them- you left that night. What was it? 'I'll never bring harm to you. I'll never forget you…'"

The man beside him sighed and closed his cat-yellow eyes. "'I'll never forsake you, no matter how far I might seem. I love you-'"

"'-And I always will.'" Reborn finished. He paused. Then he laughed.

"Like I could ever forget something like _that_, you lying son of a bitch."

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo _

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 7PM_

Tsuna bit his lip a bit. He hated having to report things over meals- it seemed to dampen the occasions far too much that he liked, but this was necessary.

"Well, I told you all over tea that Ootori-san found a Gatti base near Namimori, and that he will be staying in Namimori to protect our friends and family, right?"

There was collective assent.

"Well, this afternoon he found out from one of the Gatti agents that what I said I suspected was true."

Silence.

"Well, yeah, there are Asphodel in Japan. I thought that it might be okay to leave to Ootori-san and his friends to take care of it, but in the most recent recon mission here, Coyote-san, you said you found the Gatti post empty."

Though not the strongest speaker, Tsuna's every word was hung on like their lives depended on them. Everyone from Lambo to Shin to Timoteo were staring at him intently.

"I-I think they might have gone to Japan. And if what Ootori-san said is true, those people actually seriously went after Kyoko-chan. Um, we don't have to if you don't think it's a good idea, but…" here he looked to Timoteo.

"Can we go back to Namimori?"


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: Thank you blizzard 10 for the Mukuro-sympathy. Thank you EternalSnow for deeming this... thing to be worthy of an EXTREME. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for positive health advice. (You too, please don't die. It's so much paperwork if I'm held responsible. And because I heart you of course. ^^) Thank you to itachiluv18 for motivation to write. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for the mental image of the week. (It was unintentional, but now I can't get the image out of my head. Mukuro looks good in a suit.) And finally, thank you to Soul Vrazy for more Tsuna-pity. **

**(As usual, thank you to the lovely lady Lunakatsuma who has read this thing since the publishing of the first chapter. She's very appreciated by the writer, and will be mentioned review or not.)**

**Onwards, reader-samas.**

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo _

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 9PM_

Xanxus sat, irritated and with a mild headache, in his lounge, as the mansion was filled with noises of people asking after their possessions and opening and shutting doors. He was on the _opposite wing of the mansion_ and he could still hear Gokudera shrieking like a little girl about something to do with the Tenth, a baseball idiot, and a stupid cow repeatedly. Not always in that order.

The Varia boss massaged his temple and decided that everything on the coffee table in front of him was going straight to the head of the next person that walked in.

"VOOIIII-"

Before the silver-headed strategic captain had even started to explain what he was there for, three wineglasses and a wine cork struck his crown with deadly accuracy, effectively deterring him from staying in the room. When Xanxus heard Squalo grumbling about it as he walked back down t hallway, he had half a mind to pick up a gun and shoot a hole through the door. He hadn't even cleared the coffee table by a half.

While it had helped him avoid what was probably more paperwork, throwing wineglasses at Squalo didn't help his irritation much. And his voice had probably just worsened the headache.

The door opened again to reveal an apprehensive Levi, holding what was indeed a stack of paperwork from the recent Russian mission. Since all of the Russian Vongola jets had been in the process of being replaced by newer models and maintained, the Varia squad had had to take various other means of transport to get back to Italy- therefore resulting in more damages across Europe by the team, and more public incidences to cover up.

The coffee table was cleared of the empty wine bottle, shot glasses, empty plate, toothpicks, and the half-full bottle of cheap vodka. The stuff had tasted nasty anyway. And for good measure, he also threw the trashcan beside the table, which had scraps of fruit and dirty rags in it, the latter having been used to clean his guns.

Levi held out longer than Squalo, but that was only because the Captain wasn't stupid enough to try and stay and convince an irritated Xanxus to do paperwork. It was a fool's job. So he had sent Levi.

Obviously that plan had failed, as the Lightning Officer hunkered down and shuffled out with a whimper. "Boss…"

And after that the boss was left alone for a while, to enjoy the melodic sounds of Tsunayoshi tripping down three flights of stairs and his right-hand puppy squealing about it.

After about ten minutes, the door opened again. And for a moment Xanxus almost pitied the poor fool- most likely an underling of Squalo's- before sending a sharp kick to the coffee table and sending it flying straight into the man's face.

The table stopped abruptly in midair, and moved a bit to reveal not a man, but a boy.

Aoshima Kiyoshi raised an eyebrow at Xanxus, and then looked back to the solid mahogany table he was holding up by a leg in his right hand.

"I see old habits die hard, boss."

Xanxus snorted. The kid had always had freakishly strong wrists.

"The last time you called me that, you were an ankle-biting brat. Now you're a _cocky_ ankle-biting brat."

Smugly, Aoshima set down the table back in front of Xanxus and then set down the stack of paperwork and a pen on it. "The last time I called you that you were my age, old man."

The boss seethed. He frowned at the sight of something that wouldn't shatter when thrown. Well, the pen might, but the paper would probably just make a dissatisfying 'thwack' and flutter everywhere.

"So, the shark trash was desperate enough to go crawling to _you_ for help?"

"He figured I was probably the only one that could catch a solid mahogany coffee table with one hand." Absently, Aoshima fingered his hair, now so short that he had to lift his hand to his head to do so.

The silver-headed boy blinked as Xanxus seemed to stare at him intensely. "What?"

"Your hair. You've always had it long."

"Why, thank you for noticing. I've recently had a haircut."

Xanxus stood and rifled around the dusty bookshelf behind him for a bit, before finding the framed, dusty photo and throwing it at Aoshima.

"You Superbias are all freakin' clones…" he sat back down to watch the boy's reaction.

Aoshima's eyes widened. It was a photo of Squalo when he was younger- looking maybe thirteen- surrounded by his family, specifically the three Superbia siblings, Squalo's mother, and Squalo himself. Back then the swordsman sported short hair that was almost identical to the style of Aoshima in the present. If that wasn't a freaky coincidence then nothing was.

Behind Squalo, to the left, was a tall, broad-shouldered man with almost the exact same hairstyle- Superbia Marzio, the eldest of the Superbia siblings and Squalo's father.

Next to Squalo's father, at the left edge of the photo, was a severe-looking woman with ash-brown hair tied back tightly in a bun, though despite her appearance she was smiling softly, as if she were simply pleased with her life as of that moment. She was Marzio's wife, and Squalo's mother.

And in the middle of the photo next to Squalo's father, with his arms slung around both his siblings, was who Aoshima knew must have been Superbia Celestino, with hair chopped messily chin-length, but almost seemed to share a face with Squalo's father.

Despite there being three Superbia siblings in the photo, Aoshima knew that that one in the middle was his father because the remaining sibling was female. When Squalo had told him of her when he was little, he had always imagined her as a female version of Squalo- and so far his assumptions seemed to be in the right direction as the entire Superbia bloodline seemed to be silver-haired carbon copies of each other.

But Superbia Erminia had a pretty, feminine face, her hair cut short and feathery like her siblings, but clearly female. While she shared the silver hair and silver eyes that even Aoshima himself had, her aura was completely different.

The Superbia brothers seemed like your high-class Mafiosi working men, the type who earned every million they were paid, while Erminia seemed to be the type of person you'd find investing in other's work and always investing right. The aristocratic air- out of the three siblings, she was the only one to emit it so blatantly.

The photo must have been taken before his father had met his mother, Aoshima thought with an unreadable smile. Before everything had gone to hell because he had fallen in love with the wrong woman and had befriended the wrong people. Aoshima walked over and set the frame back onto the shelf.

"Thank you."

Xanxus seemed more displeased at the fact that his act of kindness was acknowledged than the fact that he had committed it.

Aoshima wandered around the room, as the boss swore and grumbled as he went through his paperwork, before settling on the upright piano in the corner, lifting the lid gently.

Xanxus' scribbling suddenly stopped.

"You still play?"

There was an awkward silence in which a loud thump from the opposite wing of the mansion resonated, followed by yelled apologies.

The silver-haired boy nodded silently. Xanxus snorted. "Are you going to play me your little off-beat Twinkle Twinkle Little Star again?"

"I was _four_. Give me a break. I played you better stuff by the time I was five."

It may be noted that if anyone else had spoken to him like Aoshima had since he had walked into the room, there would probably have been no bones left. But the Varia boss seemed admittedly curious to find out just how much the little brat he had taken a hand in raising until the age of five had grown in the last decade.

"I think you'll like Scarlatti, boss," Aoshima mused, before he rested his fingers on the keys and started to play.

All of a sudden the headache wasn't so bad.

* * *

_Thursday, Palermo_

_Vongola Mansion, approximately 9:30PM_

It had been decided at dinner that Tsuna and his Guardians would return to Namimori. Though he was partly reluctant to leave the Sicilian Vongola Property while it was still under regular attack and they could provide help in numbers and manpower, ultimately it was decided that while he hadn't officially begun the position as Tenth, Tsuna's responsibilities lay in Japan and his hometown.

Suzume and her Detention Committee had so far made the decision to follow their Kaichou, but Suzume had made this decision on the conditions that her siblings and her father would not be left by themselves on either side- either she and the Committee stayed with them in Sicily, or they all returned to Japan with her. She quite obviously preferred the second option.

As for Shin and Shou, their positions were unclear. Shin was debating on staying in Palermo as Coyote had offered him a job as a reconnaissance agent and wartime messenger that paid quite handsomely, but on the other hand he was probably more concerned about keeping an eye on Suzume, and plus, his little sister had also requested that he stay with her- and he would prefer her in Japan.

Shou had stated that he would go wherever his father would be, and had already been preparing to leave for Japan before Reborn had left to take Seiji back to Sicily. So far they hadn't been able to contact the two, and Shou was in no hurry to make a decision, as he had enough funds on him to take a separate flight later if need be.

"Sayaka! I can't find my hood!"

"You really need to start naming your stuff. Mi-tsu. Two characters. Not that hard."

"Lambo, you can't have that many bags. Where's your suitcase?"

"…I don't believe these are mine. I don't even think I've ever worn briefs in my life."

"GIVE MY BACK MY UNDERWEAR YOU DAMN PERVERT PINEAPPLE!"

"Suzume-san, watch out for the- Ooh, that looked like it hurt."

"Suzume-iinchou!"

"Iinchou!"

"Who left their chains out in the middle of the hallway?"

* * *

_Friday, Ekaterinburg_

_Hotel Ekaterinburg-Tsentralny, approximately 10AM_

Eyes opening and sitting up to observe his surroundings, Reborn decided that waking up in a hotel in a foreign country, with Seiji half-hanging out of the other side of the bed, was such a familiar experience that he didn't even have to bother to ask how they had gotten there anymore.

As per routine, he sent a sharp kick in the pasta chef's direction to send him the rest of the way to the floor with a heavy thump and a groan, before going to use the bathroom.

While he was brushing his teeth, he heard Seiji declare sleepily that "I've been in Ekaterinburg over twenty-four hours, I have twenty-one unread texts and none of them are in Russian. It's a good day."

Reborn rolled his eyes.

* * *

_Friday, Russian Airspace_

_Vongola Private Jet, approximately 5 hours after takeoff from Palermo at 6:30AM_

Around five AM that morning, the group had received a reply from Seiji informing them that if Suzume was heading back to Japan anyway, he would continue on his original plan.

Ten minutes later a reply from Reborn asked them if _everyone_- The Tenth Generation, the Detention Committee, Shin and Shou- were to return to Japan.

When the reply was affirmative on the condition that Seiji did so as well, it was confirmed that Reborn and Seiji would take a plane from Ekaterinburg the rest of the way back to Japan.

And so the jet was packed full with a total of thirty people- the eight of the Tenth Generation Family, the twenty-strong Detention Committee, and Shin and Shou.

Aoshima was rifling through his bag looking for a change of clothes, as he was still in his Gi from that morning's exercise. Suzume had packed his bags as he had been absent from that wing of the mansion the entire night, though Suzume didn't see need to ask him why if he didn't tell her. It was only fair if there were things that she wasn't telling him as well.

Other than Aoshima rifling, things on the plane were relatively quiet. Most people were thinking about what they would do when the plane landed, others about what they were leaving behind in Palermo, and still others were simply sleepy from waking up to early.

"Na, everyone, let's play a game," Yamamoto suggested cheerfully.

"What kind of game?" Tsuna responded eagerly. The silence had been getting to him as well.

"Mukuro taught me this game on the way to Italy." Immediately everyone looked wary. "It's called 'Most Likely'."

Tsuna face-palmed. He had listened to Mukuro and Chrome play that game countless times when they were bored in meetings. "Care to explain, Mukuro?"

"Kufu… the rules are simple. One person thinks up a sentence that starts with 'who is most likely to' and another answers with a person's name they think fits the description. The aim is to come up with a 'most likely' that everyone agrees on the same person for. I think with the amount of people we have in here playing, we can limit answers to people on the plane."

There were mixed reactions. Most of them were just expressions of relief that it wasn't anything too… Mukuro-ish. Others like Hibari were thinking that he had liked the trip _to_ Sicily better, language barriers and all.

"I will start to give an example. Who is most likely to be wearing woman's clothing at this moment?"

Tsuna relaxed- that was a relatively non-offensive answer. "It'd be all the girls, wouldn't it?"

Suzume looked down at her hoodie and jeans. "I think these are Kiyoshi's."

All the Wardens were still dressed in their Gi, and Hibari Kyouya smirked a little in a smug manner in the corner. Not today.

Then he spoke. "Don't you share a wardrobe with your vice-chairman, woman?"

As if on cue, Aoshima walked out of the bathroom in a dress shirt and rather fitting jeans. Suzume blinked.

"Ah... that's where those were."

Aoshima looked down at his pants. "Ah."

There were little snorts and giggles.

The game was explained to Aoshima, and as the answered person, he got to go next. He thought long and hard.

"Who is most likely to have snuck animals on board?"

The eyes in the room all swiveled to Shin playing cards with Shou. He looked up.

"They weren't snuck, they're safe in animal compartment," he smiled.

Darn.

"But we agree that he's most likely?" Mukuro asked everyone.

They nodded.

Shin sighed, put down his hand, and looked around the cabin. He had a question that he was genuinely curious about, so he asked it. "Who is most likely to be able to leave the Mafia?"

The room went silent. Glances were shared.

White, Warden number one, spoke. "Our little Pure."

Shin blinked, and nodded. It was a tradition in the Committee for the Warden who had served the longest, or the 'eldest', to take on the name of White until they left the Committee and a new White was named, while the least experienced, or 'youngest' was given the name Pure, until a younger Warden came along and he or she was given a new name.

Pure was often the youngest in age as well, so it made sense to have them as the answer.

That generation's Pure was male, and he looked around the room with mischievous eyes until he landed on one particular pair of Wardens. "Who is most likely to commit incest?" he asked jokingly.

Most of the Wardens had to cover their mouths to stop the laughter, or at least did little spit-takes at his bravery.

The Seikawa twins grinned, and said in unison "_Did you really need to ask_?"

Tsuna suddenly had violent flashbacks to previous experiences at Ouran.

* * *

_Friday, Namimori_

_(Newly renamed) Ootori Private Hospital, approximately 8PM_

The youngest Ootori son was probably the only one in the family to have ties to the Mafia, mostly because he was the only one that could hold up bargains with them.

After an incident with the business that had put him in a new light in his father's eyes, Kyouya had been allowed to personally manage his own policing force and manage a few of his own hospitals- these hospitals, though under the same name as his father's company, were owned by Ootori Kyouya himself down to the last penny.

He sighed and leaned back on his chair away from his paperwork, massaging the sides of his temples. He was in his office on the top level of the hospital, and thought it might be time to take a trip down to the basement to check on some of his more special guests.

After all, now that he had a business in Namimori, he couldn't let it be overrun with criminals that he didn't command.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 9AM_

Fujiwara Kousuke and a few of his council members were once again hesitantly approaching the number one school of Namimori, bearing gift baskets and promises to help with paperwork.

To their surprise and relief, the intimidating men in black and deep purple uniforms that had been hanging around the school since Thursday were gone, replaced by relatively less intimidating pair of Disciplinary Prefects.

As the neared the gate, however, they were stopped.

The prefects' pompadours made them look at least a foot taller, towering over Fujiwara. "You are not authorized to enter the school during these hours."

"But we've been helping with paperwork! You council needs our help!"

"Your help is no longer necessary," the other prefect said in an even tone. "Our Student Council has returned."

There was a moment of silence.

"We'll be right back. With bigger gifts."


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Thank you blizzard 10 for the review. Thank you Kanako Arichi for the term 'delightfully cracky'. (It made me giggle for some reason.) Thank you itachiluv for taking the time to review after a long day. xXxMentalPancakesxXx- I've noticed for a while now that your reviews are dangerously long. (Just like someone _else_ not good for my cardiac health -cough- -cough-) That, and I love your imagination. (If I were ever able to get a poster of that image, I think my life would be complete. Oh, and finishing this thing, of course.) Thank you to Vikky Plushie for FIVE REVIEWS IN A ROW. (You don't often see people reviewing past chapters- but it's really very well appreciated when they do. That, and it does the whole heart-palpitation thing again when one gets five reviews in a very short period of time, but that's a minor detail. Oh, and Reborn running in heels- all I will say is it was too ridiculous XD) Thank you to miss Lunakatsuma for an epic legacy of reviewing efforts, and for letting me know I described the location right. (I always look forward to reading your reviews. I think even if it was a flame of Charizard proportions I would still love reading it. ^^") HeavenlyShadeOfBlue- I am so sorry, and feel so lucky that it was Diet . (That, and you actually read the whole thing? And he listened? O-o And of course you got my traitorous blush to act up with your praise.) And finally, thank you to Furionknight for the consistent encouragement and the 200TH REVIEW. O_O. -THUMP-**

**Do-douzo, reader-samas... while I am still conscious, is there a doctor in the house?...**

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 10AM_

Tsuna sat agitated in his office, hurrying to catch up all the paperwork so he could go visit Ootori and gain some insight on the Asphodel situation. While he could always leave the paperwork to the rest of the Council and leave for the more important business, there was always that nagging feeling that he owed something to the school for abruptly leaving for so long.

Everyone else that had returned was in the exact same situation- it seemed that no matter the outside help, paperwork was bound to pile up while they were gone, and various unresolved issues needed to be taken care of before going anywhere. He had heard that half the Detention Centre needed to be completely cleaned out and some rooms even rebuilt with the amount of 'situations' that had happened in there.

Chrome picked up a phone, listened without speaking, and thanked the other end of the line. "Boss, Reborn-sensei and Yukimura Seiji-san have arrived."

"Ah! Where are they now?"

"Um, the prefect said he saw them dragging Shamal-sensei into his own office."

"What?"

In another wing of the school, Reborn gave Seiji a look somewhere between exasperation and amusement as he dumped the unconscious Shamal onto one of the beds. "You just had to, didn't you?"

Seiji shrugged, failing to hold back an apologetic smile in Shamal's body's direction. "I guess he never really forgot that one invasion in Milan."

When they had woken up in the hotel, they had found that Seiji's luggage had gone missing- probably lost down the Iset River by that point- and so the ex-mercenary had called up one of his contacts in Ekaterinburg to send him one of his on-call set of clothes.

But this set of clothing that was delivered was what Seiji had worn back in his Mafia days- he hadn't updated his on-call wardrobe in Ekaterinburg for decades.

Seiji checked Shamal's pulse, making sure the man was still alive. Somewhat. He got an icepack from the small fridge and laid it kindly onto the man's forehead. Shamal's eyes fluttered open.

He took in the sight of: a white fedora, midnight hair, yellow eyes, a white scarf, and a pristine white trench coat- and fainted clean away again.

Reborn put a hand up to his mouth and chuckled. Seiji sighed, straightening and taking off the fedora, flipping it about in his hands, looking at it thoughtfully. "I still can't believe that you kept this for so long. For thirty years. While you hated me."

"What else was I supposed to do with the last thing you left me?" Reborn shrugged.

"Yet you never even wore it until Russia this week?"

Reborn nodded.

"You even got one of your own instead. Why?"

"…I never believed for a second that that one would ever stop being yours. It was only a matter of time before I would return it to you."

The yellow-eyed man closed his eyes for a moment and laughed softly in his throat, before putting the hat back on and exiting Shamal's office, Reborn right behind him.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 10:15AM_

"Reborn! And… Seiji-san?"

The man in the white trench coat tipped his matching hat to Tsuna. He wore the coat closed, with an equally white scarf on top and black suit pants underneath, though mostly tucked into what looked like knee-high black snow boots.

"That's… quite the outfit, Seiji-san." Tsuna had never seen the man look so… professional before.

Seiji put his hands in the pockets of his coat, shrugging. "Sorry, kaichou-san, I haven't had a chance to change yet."

Reborn sighed. "And because of that, he scared Shamal nine-tenths of the way to a heart attack. I told you we should have gone back to your house first," he muttered to the pasta chef.

Said pasta chef smiled sheepishly. "Eheh. Well, I'll leave you here to do your business. I'll check on Suzume before I head home- Shin and Shou are tidy boys, but I don't trust them in the kitchen," Seiji smirked. "Увидимся."

'Uvidimsya'- 'See you.'

"Да," Reborn affirmed.

Seiji turned and walk out the door, nodding to Mukuro as he went past, who then entered Tsuna's office with another stack of papers. The Mist Guardian looked contemplative.

"Is it just me, or is he wearing snow boots in Namimori?"

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Ootori Hospital, approximately 12PM_

Sawada Tsunayoshi was not to be underestimated.

That was one thing that Ootori Kyouya had learnt since that fateful weekend when the Student Council Summit had been held at Ouran.

Since then, he had conducted much research on the boy, which had been largely fruitless, most 'official records' describing the boy as mousy and weak. Ootori had had his suspicions about that, and they had been confirmed when he had heard the voice on the other end of the line just a few days before.

It had been a desperate, pleading voice, but it had been desperate and pleading with a great deal of authority and dignity behind it. Ootori Kyouya had heard power in that voice. He would never admit it, but it was largely the power in that voice that made him obey it.

Ootori Kyouya hated being commanded. But it hadn't felt like being commanded when he was asked by Sawada Tsunayoshi.

This… sneakiness was something that Ootori was on alert for when Sawada visited the hospital to see the Gatti prisoners, as they conversed in the elevator. No longer was Ootori indulgent and polite. He was far too busy trying to stop himself from being charmed by the tiny Don.

Tsunayoshi was even more dangerous than Tamaki.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori Forest_

_Asphodel Hideout, approximately 12PM_

"Felice?"

"Yes, my lady?"

"Is that smell the swamp outside or Sasha's new litter?"

"…A mix of both, I believe."

"…Excellent." The maroon-haired leader lifted a hand to her face.

The servant resisted the urge to smile at his mistress's poorly hidden crinkled nose.

Outside the office, various Asphodel members wandered about. Since the Gatti barn had been taken out, there was yet a plan for a next move. They hadn't received any orders from their ultimate leader in Italy, and while the Gatti girl had been sent from Sicily as the Japanese head of operations, if she didn't have any operations to head then she didn't have much to do.

The Asphodel hideout was built among the trees above a swamp, sufficiently camouflaged from both above and below. They knew it wouldn't hold forever, but if the Tenth Vongola generation didn't suspect them, it would do for the present.

The problem was that Maria knew the Vongola _did_ suspect a larger Asphodel unit in Japan than what they had already found- why else would they have returned to Namimori so abruptly?

She had known it was too early to strike in Japan, but would their leader listen? No, he was far too engrossed in his own personal revenge. He had been dying to take down Namimori since the very beginning.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 12PM_

Seiji had just finished cleaning up Shin's attempt at lunch when the doorbell rung.

"Shou! Would you get that?" The pasta chef still had to put all the cleaning stuff away.

"Hai!"

Seiji smiled a little. It felt so different to have his sons home again- but definitely not in the bad way.

"Sorry, Shou-san. I forgot my keys at the Centre," the silver-headed boy nodded to the Yukimura father as he walked past the kitchen and up the stairs, presumably to get something for Suzume.

Of course, Seiji had always had a third son in Kiyoshi. While the boy technically lived alone in an apartment in Namimori, he spent just about as many nights in the Yukimura house as he did in his own.

"How're things at the Centre?" Shin asked Kiyoshi as he descended the stairs with a bag of Suzume's clothes. Shin, like Shou, was dressed casually in a t-shirt and shorts to lounge around the house in- it reminded Seiji of the days when all the kids still went to Namimori Gakuen.

"Not as bad as it could be- the Water Room's been flooded for a week, the Cat Room needs restocking and the frame of the Coat Room needs replacing- it rusted- but it's only small things like that. We'll be done by this afternoon."

Shou opened the door for Kiyoshi as he pulled his shoes on. "Is the Water Room why Suzume needs the clothes?"

Kiyoshi nodded with a small smile. "Someone had to let the water out."

Seiji poked his head out the kitchen door. "Kiyoshi, wait up a moment. I'll make you and the Wardens some lunch- it'll only take a moment."

The Vice-Chairman blinked and then nodded, smiling. "Thanks."

Upstairs, in Seiji's room, the white trench coat thrown onto the bed was left alone.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori _

_Namimori Cemetery, approximately 2PM_

With all the work for the school done, the dark-haired third-year drew his jacket in closer as he opened up the metal gate with a silent creak, closing it behind him.

Before him was a field of white and grey stones and respectful flowers, not a single whisper out of place- it was silent. No one else was there at that time of the day, so he gently padded his way down to the stone he was looking for without need to hide his face.

He sat down in front of the grey stone shelter, putting the cloth bag down beside him, taking out a small round plate and setting it in front of the inscribed name.

Next out of the cloth bag came a plastic lunchbox filled with freshly made croquettes, which he took out and presented on the plate, having made exactly enough to cover the porcelain surface.

He had never really understood her fascination with fried foods- croquettes in particular, and in her life he had always had to keep an eye on how much of the oily stuff she ate.

But in her death, he had finally learnt how to make them himself and indulged her freely- knowing that the little rolls of cooked meat and potatoes would most likely serve as bird food, or perhaps a small meal for a particularly hungry stray cat, but leaving them there nonetheless- he figured she would like to watch them being eaten by cute little animals just as much as she would have liked to eat them herself anyway.

"Are you angry at me for leaving without telling you?" he asked her softly, empty lunchbox packed away in the cloth bag, sitting with his back to her name. Together, his memories and imagination constructed an image of her sitting up in her hospital bed, shaking her head and laughing just as softly back, pin-straight raven hair flying about in tendrils. No matter how much time passed, she would always be a seven-year-old in his mind. She simply refused to age.

A small breeze tickled through, carrying with it the scent of flowers, grass, and fried potatoes.

He looked up to the sky, closing his eyes, breathing deeply once or twice.

"What am I doing?"

He wasn't talking about leaving croquettes at a grave- he had done that hundreds of times before. He wasn't talking about _talking_ to said grave- he had done that hundreds of _thousands_ of times before.

"What am I doing, letting all of this happen?"

Serial hits. Succession battles. Time travel. Bloodshed. Dying Will Flames. _Mafia_.

And this next war would be the worst saga yet. Simply because it was huge. And it was happening right there, right then, in the Namimori Township that had made her her happiest, the same Namimori that had tried it's hardest to save her, that had helped the both of them in their time of most need. Sweet, kind Namimori- what on earth was he doing letting the _Mafia_ dirty it?

"Are you angry at me for not stopping it?"

Behind him, he heard a bird starting to snack on the croquettes.

"Or perhaps is this our fate? To be ruined by them from day one?"

Because it wasn't just recently that Namimori had been infested with this- this _parasite_. The same parasite had indirectly killed her. It lived in Sawada Tsunayoshi's blood, behind Yamamoto Tsuyoshi's smile, in every plate of Yukimura Seiji's pasta.

Hibari Keiko didn't have an answer for her onii-chan.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 3PM_

Yamamoto Takeshi raised a hand to shield his eyes as he watched his hit soar over the fence with an elephant's height to spare, and winced.

"Sorry! I'll get it." He dropped the bat and started jogging in the direction of the fence, shaking his head at others' offers to get it for him.

It didn't take him long to enter the forest behind the fence, and he made a guess about the general trajectory and started searching the bushes.

What he didn't expect to find, however, was one Yukimura Suzume rubbing the top of her head, bucket in hand, baseball at her feet.

"Ah! Did I hit you?"

"…That was _you_? I thought you guys misfired a machine or something."

"Ahaha, nope, all me. Really sorry about that." He picked up the ball. "What are you doing out here?" he leaned over to peer into the bucket.

Suzume quickly tilted it out of his vision, shaking her head. "You don't want to know." Then she furrowed her eyes at his uniform. "The baseball club's still practicing? I thought all the clubs went home at one."

"Heh, well with me having been gone for so long we needed to refresh our strategies, so we're still here…" The tiniest speck of an intense guilt flashed by his eyes, but it had taken less than a second.

Suzume smiled wryly. "Well, we're in the same boat, then. The Detention Centre needs some major management." She hefted her bucket a little, being very careful not to show him the contents or let the contents escape.

Yamamoto awkwardly lifted a hand to the back of his head, biting his lip. "Well, uh, I should be getting back now…"

"We have some leftover sandwiches from lunch in the Centre. Want me to bring them down?" she asked plainly, looking him in the eye.

The baseball player looked startled, putting on a grin, tongue forming the beginnings of a polite refusal, but one raised eyebrow from the Detention Chairman and his grin faded into a smile, shrugging. "Okay. Thanks."

Yamamoto Takeshi was the only Tenth Guardian to have another 'family' besides the Vongola. Very few people seemed to understand that fully, save Yukimura Suzume.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 5PM_

"Tadaima!"

"Tsu-kun! Mou, you shouldn't be working so hard already after such a long trip!"

"Sorry, kaa-san. There really was a lot to do." And that was not a lie. Tsuna shed his blazer, hung it up, and collapsed on the couch, face-first into a pillow. "

"Tsuna-nii! I left the academic report for the Primary School Division on your desk- don't forget to look at it before Monday!"

Tsuna lifted his arm to give Lambo a thumbs-up before letting it fall back down beside him.

The trip to Ootori Hospital had only confirmed a few of Tsuna's many fears. From what they had been able to get out of the few captured Gatti agents, there was indeed a larger Asphodel base somewhere in Japan. It seemed that so far, the hit on Kyoko had been the first order to the Japanese Asphodel branch, but Tsuna wasn't going to wait for the second to come.

As a person that hated to fight, Tsuna was almost surprised at himself when he talked to Ootori about plans for a pre-emptive strike. The moment they could get a location from Ootori's end, Tsuna's end would go into action and destroy the base and capture the members.

The problem was that they weren't sure if the Gatti agents even knew the location- even the information of a Japanese base could have been false-fed, for all they knew. Tsuna needed more information, and he didn't have the tools to gain it.

He got up and shuffled up the stairs to his room, contemplating the situation, sitting down on his bed, folding up his legs, and going through his phone contacts.

There were a few contacts on his phone that he had never used before- mainly to do with the Vongola. They were numbers that he was required to have on-hand but had no practical use for.

That is, until he came across the number for the V.I.N.E.

'Vongola Informazioni Nessi Estere' – 'Vongola Foreign Information Links'

A.K.A the Vongola Information Network.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 6PM_

Shin's cats had come inside for the night, and most of them were rolling about the tatami in the living room. Others were hanging off Shin himself as he sat at the dining table, chatting with Shou.

"It's been so long since I've had a home-cooked meal…"

"I know what you mean! I barely have time to sleep with all the classes I'm taking in Tokyo."

"How are you doing at university, anyway?"

"It's been alright, besides being so busy all the time- I still have enough time for the shooting range, which is nice."

Suzume descended the stairs with a towel in her hair- something that a month or so before, none of the Yukimura men had ever seen before. Before the unfortunate 'accident' in Sicily, Suzume never washed her hair at night and definitely was never able to dry it on the way down to dinner.

She sat down at her place at the table, the smell of a typical pasta dish from their childhoods wafting about from where Seiji was cooking, only a countertop separating the dining room and the kitchen.

It might have been assumed that with Seiji as a pasta chef, the family had it every night, but in reality they were just as much of a Japanese family as anyone else in Namimori- usually they would have rice and plain side dishes for dinner, but seeing it was the first meal they were eating together again after so long apart, perhaps he wanted to make it nice.

"Where's Kiyoshi?" Shin asked Suzume, whose face was currently obscured by a towel.

"In the shower. He'll probably be down in a minute."

Seiji was lucky that they had their own garden in the back, otherwise he'd never have had enough vegetables and tomatoes to make a pasta dinner for six. Just as he was about to wonder where their sixth person was, the doorbell rung.

"Hai!" Shou stood up instinctively, even after having left for university almost half a year ago. With Shin being the eldest and Suzume being the baby girl, Shou was simply accustomed to doing things like answering the door and running errands. He didn't mind much. It made him feel special as the middle child.

"Ah! Reborn-san!"

The hitman nodded, somewhat uncomfortably as he made his way to the dining room behind Shou. He had been reluctant to accept Seiji's invitation for dinner with the family for exactly that reason- he was so obviously an outsider.

A few minutes later, and everyone was gathered around the table with plates of pasta with leafy greens, tomatoes and white cheese in front of them. Seiji sat at his habitual seat at the head of the table, Reborn and Shin on his left and Shou, Suzume and Kiyoshi on his right.

"Well, itadakimasu!"

"_Itadakimasu!_"

Reborn did eventually relax as the evening wore on, as Seiji presented his dessert- Japanese anmitsu- and even as they moved into the living room to play card games and simply chat.

Shin and Reborn chatted amiably about Japanese politics, while Suzume and Shou played a heated card game in the background. Seiji and Kiyoshi were radiating waves of concentration at a chess board.

Reborn felt at ease- like he was really getting to know the family, and found just as much warmth and acceptance in the Yukimura household as he had found in the Sawadas', despite the former holding such strong ties to the underworld.

It was when he had to use the bathroom, and he walked past Seiji's open door- when he saw the white coat hung up in the half-closed closet, looking alone and abandoned in the dark light, as they erupted into laughter downstairs, that he realized it.

This was what Seiji had been talking about. When he was talking about his 'new world'. The 'new world' that he had gone through so much loss to create.

His 'new world' was crumbling. As convincing as the chatter and laughter and games were downstairs, the entire family had been tainted. Shin- he was already Autunno, there was no helping that, but Shou- he had fought in a war that had nothing to do with him. Suzume had joined a side of a war that had caused her and Kiyoshi so much of both mental and physical pain. Kiyoshi himself had dusted off pages of his past that he had never expected to see again.

So maybe Reborn had been a little manipulative in Ekaterinburg. Prodding at all of Seiji's doubts, digging up old promises, reminding him of the old days with that fedora.

Reborn was getting a taste of his own medicine, and was shown just what the ex-mercenary, ex-hitman, current single father and chef, was losing.

And it hit Reborn the same way the doubts and old promises had hit Seiji.


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Thank you to Lunakatsuma for being _epic_, and for reviewing EVERY chapter! (Please don't apologize, you'll make me start performing dogeza to a computer screen ). Thank you to blizzard 10 for feeling the paperwork pain. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for making me feel very conflicted about updating... should I risk the twitching? o-o. xXxMentalPancakesxXx- I also absolutely love reading your reviews, they make me laugh at my own story and then feel bad about it. Thank you to Soul Vrazy for sympathy with... so many characters. Thank you to Furionknight for always-appreciated encouragement, and finally, thank you to RenegadeWarrior for giving me the image of Tsuna freaking out with a whole bunch of countries following him around. **

**Onwards to the thing, reader-samas!**

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Yukimura Residence, 1:58AM_

Seiji let out a heavy breath, turning away from the glaring red numbers at his bedside to stare out his glass door.

Rain coated it and blurred his vision of the cloudy night sky, the water coming down in torrents all across town.

He got up from his bed, sitting at its edge, letting out another heavy breath through his nose and putting a curled hand up to rest his cheek on as his gaze then moved to the floor.

Eventually, he stood and opened the sliding door wide, letting sheets of water invade his room, getting completely soaked in the process.

"Do you blame me?"

It took a second before a few squelching, soaked wet steps were made, and a pair of arms clad in a hanging, dripping black suit wrapped around him, holding him tight. Dark hair tickled Seiji's cheek as the head at his shoulder turned side to side.

For a moment, Seiji held on to him just as tightly, waiting patiently. The strong, cold arms didn't let go.

For a moment there was a struggle for words, a fight between the tongue, the heart, and a deeply ingrained stubbornness.

"I...I…"

Frustrated, the taller settled for "I'm sorry."

The rain roared on around them.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Supermarket, approximately 10AM_

It wasn't Mukuro's favorite supermarket, but it would have to do. The rainstorm still raged on outside from the night before, and they were staying in their in-town residence, so he had to forgo his usual place for the much closer one.

Nevertheless, he hummed happily as he browsed the shelves for his favorite brand of maraschino cherries. It had been so long since he, Chrome, Chikusa and Ken had all cooked together and he was thinking pineapple upside-down cake for lunch.

Just as he found the cherries and dropped them into his basket, beaming with contentment, he almost literally ran into Shou, with Shin carrying two giant basketfuls of groceries behind him.

"Oh, Mukuro-kun! Good morning!"

"Ah- yes." The Mist Guardian handled the fact that he had been caught prancing around in a supermarket with various baking ingredients in his basket rather coolly. "What brings you to the supermarket?"

"The kitchen needed restocking after we all left for Italy for so long, and tou-san isn't up yet, so Suzume sent us out while she and Kiyoshi train their Wardens. What about you, Mukuro-kun?"

"Exactly the same reason," he replied, noticing Shin raising an eyebrow at the pack of icing sugar and bottles of vanilla essence in the illusionist's basket. Looked like it was too late to hide those with his Mist Flames.

"Well, we won't keep you, the three blocks of butter you have in there might melt. See you some other time, Mukuro-kun!" Shou smiled obliviously, walking past him with Shin and their groceries in tow.

Mukuro sighed as he was left alone in the aisle. Then his face shot up in realization.

"Baking soda! I almost forgot…"

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Forest, approximately 12PM_

Having a rare day without Reborn dogging his every step, Tsuna had gone on a solo journey up one of Namimori's surrounding mountains to train. It had rained the whole way, but luckily started to clear up just as he got to the top.

Yes, _train_. That thing that he had avoided so vehemently in his middle school years, he was now doing independently.

Standing at the edge of a very, very high cliff, Tsuna pulled on his gloves, his rings on top of his gloves, and then took out his box of Dying Will pills from his jacket. He placed them carefully on the ground next to him, unopened, and prayed that that other night hadn't been a fluke.

Taking a deep breath, Tsuna leapt off the edge of the cliff, letting panic rise into his throat, imagining throwing away that tiny plastic box that seemed so far away, on the edge of that cliff.

He couldn't keep relying on other people and other things forever. Like he had been taught to stop relying on Reborn and his bullets, and indeed to learn to stand on his own, he had to stop relying on a few measly pills to decide whether he lived or died. He had to stop depending on others to decide whether the ones he loved lived or died.

He had to do this himself. He had to get stronger, so that when he threw his fists in prayer, they hit home.

He let adrenaline pour through his veins, and felt his heart clutch as he opened his eyes and watched the ground rise up to meet him, and he let out a scream.

A scream that accompanied a brilliant burst of sharply outlined golden-orange flames, flickering about him, trailing from his hands. Gold-orange quickly switched to fuzzy orange flames proper, and Tsuna felt his shoulders jerk a bit as he stopped himself in midair, Soft Flames burning at his hands.

His body felt so light, yet he could feel every inch of his muscles ready to move at half a moment's notice. The world was in high-definition around him, every leaf, every twitch of movement registered. It was like being in his Hyper Mode, only instead of feeling limitless he instead felt like he knew the exact limit of every atom in his body, and they were ridiculously high.

It felt like he had just been born, like he was seeing the world for the first time.

Rocketing up into the sky with the help of some Hard Flames, Tsuna hovered for a moment and looked over one of his burning hands in wonder, his Vongola Gear shining in the midst. Passing the mountain that had taken him all morning to scale; Tsuna found a lake and flew over to it, and scrutinized his reflection.

There. His eyes. Just as he had thought, the change in his eyes was different- far more subtle than his Hyper Dying Will Mode. It was more a band of gold-orange at the edges of his eyes, looking almost like small rings of fire at the edges of his irises.

'_Well done, Tsuna. You've achieved what has taken others countless battles and near-death experiences to achieve- complete autonomy over your Sky Flames.'_

The brunet didn't even bother to ask who was speaking to him anymore. "Where on the scale is this state?" Was it a plus or minus state? Neutral?

"_You've been thinking for too long that the states of Dying Will are a line, Decimo. They are a circle. You are at the perfect place between the maximum of the Hyper mode and the minimum of the Minus mode, able to call on abilities from any place on the scale at will. Welcome to absolute balance, Tsuna. The state only achievable in times of most dire need."_

"Is it more powerful?" Was this what he needed to do things himself?

There was a ghostly chuckle, as the voice started to fade. "_What is stronger- resolved fed to you in words of criticism or encouragement, or resolve formed by your own volition?_"

The boy blinked slowly, then looked back at his hands. With a little concentration, he found he could switch between Hard Flames, Soft Flames, and even the ice of the Zero Point Breakthrough at the blink of an eye.

With a little _more _concentration, he found he could also form the golden-orange flames again in his one hand, and while supporting himself with the other, he spread his fingers and watched the fire split among each of them, into something resembling giant, flickering claws.

The flames followed the direction that his fingers pointed in when uninterrupted. Only the occasional breeze snatched tendrils from them that flickered about in other directions.

Cautiously, he tried dipping the claws through the water, and jumped in alarm when the water boiled off instantly, steam clouding his vision.

When the steam cleared, Tsuna sweat-dropped a little at the dead fish that had risen to the surface.

He had three thoughts on his mind.

One- he had to be careful with this new form of flame.

Two- he sure hoped that Namimori Forest wasn't a reserve.

And three- he wondered if the fish were edible, because he was kind of hungry from scaling the mountain.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 12PM_

Seiji stopped in the middle of flipping a pancake, blinking.

"Seiji?"

"There was just a giant explosion of Flame activity over in the mountains. "

"…Could Suzume or Aoshima have learnt that quickly?"

The apron-clad man frowned and shook his head slowly. "Sky flames. Almost completely pure and quite experienced, judging from the output type."

Reborn frowned for a moment. Dino wasn't in town, neither was Byakuran or Yuni. That only left…

"I'll be right back."

"No need to hurry."

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Forest_

_Random clearing, approximately 1PM_

Most of the Wardens were laid out around the grass, breathing heavily, most of the boys having stripped of the tops of their Gi completely, grass-stained white shirts thrown about all over the place.

"Yo, Mitsu-kun, where's Ichinose?" one of the Seikawa twins asked as he sat down next to the boy. "Suzume-iinchou's looking for her."

The brunet shrugged into the grass. "Last I saw her, she was right behind me."

"ALRIGHT, WHICH ONE OF YOU TOOK MY PANTS!"

Mitsuyama and the Seikawa looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

The raven-haired twin tried his best to cover his grin when he saw his brother hiding something behind him. "Oh, Yuuya's going to get it now…"

"THIS IS THE SECOND TIME AND IT'S NOT FUNNY!" an enraged Ichinose Sayaka yelled, stomping into the clearing. Luckily she, like all female Wardens, had picked up Suzume's good habit of wearing boxer-briefs, but it wasn't much compensation for pants. When her flaring magenta eyes spotted Seikawa Yuuya, he knew to run.

"I'M GOING TO SKIN YOU ALIVE AND USE YOU AS A DOORMAT!"

While all Wardens were calm and polite to everyone else, among themselves, they held more the qualities of a typical large family. Pranks like the one Sayaka had fallen victim to while retrieving someone's chain from the river were one of many.

Suzume and Aoshima were dressed in Gi as well, and fit right in with the rest of the Wardens as they laughed at Yuuya's unfortunate predicament.

However every single one of the twenty-strong family stopped when they heard an unnatural rustling in the bushes. Sayaka even stopped choking Yuuya as they both listened for where it was coming from.

About half the Wardens leapt into defensive positions as a figure emerged from the bushes, the other half having recognized it early enough to realize it wasn't a threat.

Reborn blinked at the large gathering in the middle of the forest, tipped his fedora at them, and carried on through, one passed-out Tsuna-kaichou on his shoulder.

The Wardens looked at each other, then at Suzume and Aoshima. They shrugged.

"He'll be fine." Aoshima assured. "Probably. Now get back on your feet, we've got another lap of the mountain to do."

There was collective groaning.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Apartments, 1:32PM_

Ken stared at the oven clock diligently, oven mitt in one hand, cake skewer in the other. His expression was very serious.

Chikusa sighed at the dining table, newspaper opened in front of him. "Still another ten minutes, Ken, no need to test it so early."

"But last time we overcooked it! I want get it exactly when it's ready this time."

When Chrome and Mukuro had left for Sicily, they had told Ken and Chikusa to move into the apartment the four of them had bought all that time ago but never moved into. With two of them gone, it was easier for the remaining two to sustain themselves in the middle of the city than in the outskirts.

And safer. But no one was admitting that.

"If you keep opening the oven it'll take longer to cook."

"I know, I know."

Mukuro was sitting on the opposite side of the dining table to Chikusa, doing paperwork. Not a member of the Student Council could escape it- not even the intangible Mist.

Chrome was cleaning up the bowls and utensils used for mixing, humming happily. In their own way, everyone of the Kokuyo family enjoyed spending time together whether they said it aloud or not, but it would have to have been Chrome that enjoyed it the most.

It had been one time in middle school that they had all helped her make mochi for New Years to humor her that the family cooking thing had started, and she liked the idea that she had brought them maybe a little bit closer.

Minutes passed with only the sounds of the oven, Chrome humming, and paper flipping about filling the air, before Chikusa took a glance at the clock and said "It's ready."

The others leapt into action, Chrome getting out the wire rack, Mukuro grabbing a large plate and small knife in preparation for flipping the cake out, and Ken opening the oven to make one last testing stab of the flat surface of the cake before grabbing his other oven mitt and opening the oven door all the way, flicking the dial to the off position.

Chrome laid out a piece of cardboard on the marble countertop which was occupied seconds later by the hot cake tin transferred from Ken's hands. Mukuro got to work loosening it from the sides with the knife, though taking his time, as it needed to cool before being flipped.

About five minutes later, Chikusa found himself standing in front of a cake tin covered with a plate. Apparently it was agreed that he had the steadiest hands, so he would do the honors.

In one smooth motion, he flipped the tin upside-down onto the plate, tapped the back a little, and lifted it off to reveal the pineapple-covered, caramel-lathered bottom of the cake, which was really the top- hence, upside-down cake.

Chrome carefully lifted the cake off the plate to put on the wire rack to cool, and high-fives were shared at the success, shining pineapple slices and bright maraschino cherries making the wait for it to cool almost agonizing, before _finally_,they gathered around the dining table to eat.

Mukuro did the slicing, and despite his repute among the other Guardians, carefully kept each piece the same size. He sat back down when he was done, they picked up their forks, and they were halfway through an 'Itadakimasu' when Mukuro's cell phone went off.

A tick mark at the side of his head, the illusionist replied rather snappily. "What?" He paused. Then sighed, putting down his fork in favor of slapping his hand on his face, and agreed.

Ending the call, the head of the household stood and sighed. "Looks like I'm not getting lunch. Save some for me." He grabbed a jacket and exited the front door, leaving an empty seat behind.

Chrome bit her lip, putting down her fork and looking down at her lap. "Ano…"

Chikusa got out the food net. "We'll wait too."

They pushed their plates to the middle of the table, along with Mukuro's, and set the net over it, then going to their own rooms to wait for him to return.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 2PM_

"What's wrong with Jyuudaime?"

"Was it an Asphodel attack?"

"Tsuna-nii went out by himself this morning and Reborn had to carry him back!"

Tsuna's bedroom was way too small to fit six fretting Guardians. Reborn had chosen not to call for Chrome mainly because of the lack of room, and not wanting _all_ the Guardians in one place for extended periods of time when they didn't know much about the enemy's presence in Namimori.

"Ahoushi! What are you doing letting Jyuudaime out on his own? There could be Asphodel people everywhere and we wouldn't know!"

"Maa, Hayato, Reborn-sensei already said that it wasn't an attack. Tsuna just worked himself too hard, that's all."

"…Hm. Herbivore." Having confirmed that Tsuna's life wasn't in danger, the Cloud Guardian left out the window.

Or would have, had Reborn not caught him by the collar and yanked him back inside, earning a glare that would make any other battle-hardened grown man faint and have nightmares for weeks.

"What I have _called_ you here for is an update on your progress. Today, Tsuna broke through to the final level of the Sky's Dying Will Modes and reached ultimate purity in his Flames." He stopped to let this information set in. "If none of you have made similar progress, he alone is stronger than the rest of you combined."

Hibari's eyes drifted out the window to a place that he couldn't yet be in person. A certain quiet corner of town, with shining white stones.

He turned back to Reborn, walked up to the hitman, and let a brilliant explosion of magenta flames light his bare hands. It had clear-cut tendrils, edges tipped with a strange grey-purple color that looked violet when layered together.

Reborn took a long look at the crystal-pure Cloud Flames for a moment in the stunned silence before nodding.

Hibari left out the window, deliberately leaving it wide open.

"Minna? ...What are you doing in my room?"

"Jyuudaime! You're awake!"

A Leon-hammer met Tsuna's head with utmost grace, the wielder barely having had to move his arm. "Dame-Tsuna. What are you doing out in the mountains alone?"

Rubbing his head, Tsuna shrunk. "Eheh… sorry… I just thought maybe-"

"Save the apologies," Reborn sighed. He looked up at the others. "I'm going to assume that if you haven't revealed them by this point, none of you have been able to achieve flames like Hibari's yet. Let this be a good piece of advice. The stronger you become, the more likely any of us will survive this war.

As you know, Seiji and I will be training a separate squadron- in actual fact, their training was meant to start today- but that is beside the point. The eight of you will be the keystone, having the most experience in Flame warfare. Understood?"

The Guardians nodded silently, Gokudera in particular looking quite troubled.

"Dismissed."

Once everyone had left, Reborn turned to Tsuna, giving him a long, hard look.

Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut as Reborn's hand came down- and buried itself in his hair.

"Well done, Tsuna."

The brunet opened his eyes and almost fainted in shock to see Reborn, in his adult form, _smiling_.

* * *

_Monday, Namimori_

_Downtown, approximately 2AM_

An obnoxious burst of fire engulfed a building, nimble black-clad agents leaping about around it for their next target.

Rokudo Mukuro sat up blearily in his bed, looking out the window, eyes widening to find downtown Namimori on fire. Getting dressed at hyper speed, he walked briskly down the hallway alerting his roommates and grabbed his cell phone before opening the door to the balcony and leaping off it.

Car alarms were going crazy in the intense heat, various stray animals running in all directions. For once, Mukuro actually hoped that he had fallen prey to an illusion, because _what_ was he going to tell Tsuna when the part of Namimori he was assigned to watch was on _fire_?

He and Chrome hadn't stayed in Namimori for the fun of it- all four of their little family disliked noise, and would have moved back to Kokuyo Land the minute they returned if the Guardians had not then received assignments to watch portions of Namimori.

Splitting the town into six sections easily watchable by all of them was no small task- obviously Hibari stuck around the school, Tsuna and Lambo the suburbs, Ryohei was assigned the industrial area of town because he often ran roadwork routes through it, Gokudera the outskirts, Yamamoto his half of downtown and Mukuro and Chrome the other- and because of this arrangement the Mist Guardians were to stay where they were.

But that was all off topic, because the fire was spreading. The best Mukuro could do was call Yamamoto and then do what he could to slow down the flames.

Chrome and the other two had quickly followed Mukuro out, and he gave them orders. Ken was to clear the area of people and animals, Chikusa was to try and isolate the fire by collapsing the emptied parts of the buildings, and Chrome was to- well, wait for Yamamoto while Mukuro chased after newly-spotted suspicious strangers- which were assumed to be Asphodel agents.

Things went on chaotically for several minutes, Mukuro eventually returning, having herded the Asphodel agents back to the fire, when an unfamiliar voice rang through the night.

"OUT OF THE WAY!"

Chikusa leapt away from the burning building just in time for a pair of hoses to be set on it. The fire had already been diminished somewhat by Chikusa's efforts and was dying quickly, while a pair of silver blades joined Mukuro's trident in battle.

Incredulous, Mukuro looked over to who was _definitely not_ Yamamoto. For one thing, it was a woman. A woman in a navy-blue suit, with most of her grey hair done up with chopsticks at the back of her head, two straight, shoulder-length pieces left undone, framing her face. She wielded the twin daggers with a wry grin on her face, though grimacing when she actually hit someone and blood spurted.

Looking over to the two people manning the hoses, Mukuro saw one very-familiar dark-haired Mafioso, and a dangerous-looking brunette woman, hair cut neatly at chin length. Both were in uniforms of the same sort as the grey-haired woman, though the man's was of a different color to the two women's.

"Who are you?" The male Mist Guardian managed to get across to the grey-haired woman above the din.

She smiled back politely as she elbowed an Asphodel in the face.

"Vongola Informazioni Nessi Estere, at your service."

Mukuro frowned as he felled the last Asphodel, the fire dying in the background.

"What in my six lives are the Vongola Foreign Information Links and what are you doing in Namimori?"


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: Thank you Kanako Arichi for... jinxing my healthy streak- though that was more a collective effort from all you people that reviewed TT_TT(Also- '-sama'? Really? 0.0 I've been noticing it for a while now and found that it causes unhealthy gigling. It's scary. Really. . ). Thank you to itachiluv18 for undeserved praise. Thank you Guest for... more undeserved praise (See what I mean about the death of the health streak?) Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for some seriously consistent reviewing ('less than three' ^^) and making me spit-take at your vocabulary (What's ChaoticMonki? Actually- do I want to know? o-o. Oh, and that review is nearing heart-attack sizing. Feel some pity for my cardiovascular system. Please. T_T). Thank you to lifina for MORE UNDESERVED PRAISE! D: (People. My face. is not meant to be able to cook breakfast.) Thank you to HeavenlyShadeOfBlue for constructive input as always- I am always wary of writing in 'new sides' of canon characters, so thank you so much for your opinion- I need things like these ^^. Lunakatsuma-sama... you took up the screen again... in two parts, but you took up the screen nonetheless... Two reviews from you in a row is bad for my health - (As always, I love reading your responses and they always motivate me incredibly to write.) Thank you to charm13insomnia for reviewing even the first few chapters (though I don't know when you'll read this... 0-o) And finally, thank you to tora-chan83 for sharing the cake cravings and for more. Undeserved. Praise. ****-BOOM-**

**(The writer has suffered a fountaining nosebleed from all the blood to her cheeks, reader-samas. Continue while the mess is cleaned up.) **

* * *

_Monday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 4AM_

Tsuna descended the stairs, eyes barely open, stumbling about in the dark kitchen to open the fridge. Peering into it, he found a small carton of juice that would suit his purposes and stuck the straw in, taking a long drink and turning to lean on the counter.

The light of the open fridge revealed Mukuro, Reborn, and some other people sitting around his table, staring at him blankly.

Reborn sighed. "Wait for it…"

"HIIIIIEEE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THE KITCHEN SO LATE AT NIGHT?"

"It's technically morning," Mukuro offered.

"Is that- LANCIA-SAN?"

The dark-haired man gave an awkward wave. It had been so long ago since the strongest man of northern Italy had left Tsuna with that ring- that ring that had saved his life. Needless to say, seeing him sitting around his dining table in the dark at 4AM in the morning wasn't exactly the way Tsuna had pictured their reunion.

"Wh-Why? And how?"

The silver-haired woman rose from her seat, brushed some specks of dirt off her uniform, and stood in front of Tsuna. She was a good foot taller than him, and very much so gave off an intimidating aura.

But then she bowed. "Forgive the intrusion, Decimo. But you called for our assistance, so we have come as quickly as we could."

Reborn looked amused. "Care to explain, Tsuna, why the Head of the Vongola Information Network is in Namimori?"

"Ah- EHHH?"

Tsuna was spared from answering by the kitchen window opening and Yamamoto and Aoshima poking their heads in. "Uh, yo, Tsuna."

"What the-"

"Ahah, sorry I couldn't make it to your end, Mukuro. I kind of had something to deal with on my side of town."

Aoshima sighed beside him. "The one night I actually stay at my own place and _that_ happened…" A hand moved to shield his eyes, elbow resting on the windowsill.

Mukuro sighed. "It turned out fine."

Tsuna looked from one Guardian to the other, then to Lancia and some other girl beside him, the silver-haired woman, and eventually to Reborn.

"What's going on? What happened?"

He tipped his fedora a bit and sighed. "Asphodel attack, downtown. A building in Mukuro's section was burnt to the ground, a flower shop. The agents were captured and handed to Ootori for investigation, and Chrome and Chikusa have gone to inform the owner."

Tsuna was stock still. He blinked slowly. "A civilian shop?"

Mukuro nodded.

"…Un-unrelated to any of us? The Vongola?"

To Tsuna's surprise, it was the silver-haired woman who spoke. "It was owned by a middle-aged woman by the name of Kanada Sachiko. She is a divorced single mother with a nine-year-old son attending Namimori Gakuen's primary school division. No connections to the Mafia whatsoever, however the reason she divorced her husband had something to do with Namimori's local Yakuza, the Momokyokai."

"How-"

The woman raised an eyebrow and gestured to her uniform.

"Oh… right."

Aoshima seemed to be noticing the head of the information network for the first time. She looked awfully familiar, yet… not.

Meanwhile, Tsuna's hands clenched silently on the countertop, expression remaining neutral.

"Lancia-san, I assume you've joined the Vongola Information Network?"

The dark-haired man nodded, taking a brief glance at Mukuro, who seemed to be fascinated with his nails, before looking back at Tsuna. "Yes. I requested services from the Links to track down some family members of my old Family… Eventually I returned to join them. It is peaceful, bloodless work." The brunette beside him raised an eyebrow. He chuckled. "Relatively peaceful work."

Tsuna nodded. It was nice to know that Lancia had a steady lifestyle now- something to do with his life- perhaps some way to earn money to support those he had wronged. He turned back to the silver-haired leader.

"You are professionals at gathering information, yes?"

There was a smirk. "We have no equal in Sicily. No one who would even dare to claim second to us. Globally, we are neck and neck with the Giegue, but as they share a joint information base with us, that is irrelevant."

"How fast can you locate the bases of an organization?"

"Name?"

"The Asphodel Alliance."

She smirked again, in a knowing way. "The files are thin, but they are the only files in the world."

* * *

_Monday, Namimori_

_Suburbs, approximately 4:30AM_

Lancia and Mukuro walked with a good meter's distance between them.

Lancia had wanted to talk to him, but now that they were alone, he didn't know what to say. So of course, the first words that came out of his mouth were provoking ones.

"You've changed, Mukuro. You're gentler."

"…Are you saying I've become weaker?"

"No."

More silence.

"I haven't forgotten what you've done."

"Neither have I."

"I can't forgive you for it yet."

"Why is this of any interest to me?" The illusionist was beginning to get defensive- hands shoved in his pockets, avoiding eye contact, becoming easily irritated.

The larger man sighed and stopped Mukuro with a hand to his shoulder- something that he would never have dared done to the old Mukuro. But he hadn't lied when he said that the other had become gentler since they last conversed. Might have had something to do with the lack of being incarcerated, but that was beside the point.

"Can you at least tell me that you know what you did?"

"And what exactly did I do?" he scoffed back.

In a flash the illusionist was backed up against a solid wooden fence, splinters jabbing into the back of his neck.

After a moment of silence, Lancia let him go and put a hand to his face, as if ashamed of himself.

"Do you even have _any_ idea what a _family_ is?"

Mukuro said nothing as one of his biggest mistakes walked away.

* * *

_Monday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 6AM_

Reborn sweat-dropped a little at Seiji's sleeping habits.

"Even when alone, he still manages to fall halfway out of bed…"

Instead of helping him out the rest of the way like he usually would, Reborn instead lifted his legs back under the duvet and then went to wake him up by gentle shaking.

Seiji woke up knowing there was something wrong.

Reborn cursed Aoshima in his head in a dozen languages when he saw that expression on Seiji's face. Then he cursed himself a dozen times more for agreeing to be the one to tell him.

"Seiji?"

"What's wrong? What happened?" Yellow eyes were wide in concern as he sat up, Reborn sitting down on the edge of the mattress.

With a sigh, the hitman decided to go for the straightforward approach and let it fall out of his mouth. "There was an Asphodel attack downtown. They burnt down the Sapore Nostra."

There was a silence filled only by Reborn breathing.

"Last night?"

"Yes."

"Was anyone hurt?"

A sigh. "No, it was very late. No one lived close enough to your restaurant to be affected. By the time Yamamoto and Aoshima arrived, it was already almost completely burned out."

"Kiyoshi?"

"He lives in the area, remember?"

Reborn watched Seiji carefully as he nodded, and got out of bed, walking into the bathroom. He heard the tap open and water splash around a bit. When Seiji re-emerged, tips of his hair were wet.

"Seiji…"

There was no reply for a while as the other rifled through his closet and found a pair of jeans, pulling them onto both legs at once.

"What?"

Reborn looked at the white trench coat at the back of the closet, and put his face in his hands, before saying- "Remember what you told me, the first time you made me make a promise about Suzume?"

"To keep her out of the Mafia?"

He was deliberately avoiding the question.

"About your new world."

Finished changing into jeans and a dress shirt, rolling up the sleeves, Seiji nodded.

Reborn quoted him nonetheless. "You said, 'I'd rather not get involved with these things again, but I will if my new world is put in danger."

Seiji sat gently on the other side of the bed, facing away from Reborn.

"You remember the second promise I made you make about Suzume?"

"…Not to let her leave the underworld."

"Do you know why I made you make _that _promise?" For a moment Seiji's voice lowered.

Of course Reborn knew _why_.

Seiji knew firsthand what happened when one tried to leave the Mafia after getting involved in it, and Reborn _knew_ that.

"She's eaten the pomegranate seeds and now can never return to her old life," Reborn replied.

"I other words, I told you to keep her in the frying pan because… _the fire is much worse._" Before it had been a hint, but now Reborn could hear it. The slurring, hissing voice akin to a winter breeze. Now he knew why Seiji had sat away from him, but also as usual, it didn't exactly make anything a mystery to Reborn.

"_Guess what, __мой дорогой Реборн?_"

There was a slight internal shudder at the way Seiji addressed him, with his Winter voice, in _Russian_ no less. But his own voice stayed firm. "What, Seiji?"

"_I'm jumping back into the frying pan to teach the cook a lesson._"

* * *

_Monday, Namimori Forest_

_Random clearing, approximately 12PM_

It had taken a while for the Detention Committee to realize that when they returned from Sicily, they had returned in the middle of the summer holidays. While the Council still worked, as it always did, they were free to their own time during the week until the end of August.

Time which would all be spent, it seemed, with Yukimura Seiji.

All twenty of them were gathered in a circle, facing inward to Seiji, hands held out crossing each other, palms up. Not one of them dared to open their eyes for a second.

There was something different about the Yukimura patriarch that day.

"You must be able to find absolute balance within yourself. This is the key. When I tell you to build your resolve, you will _not_ focus on one thing- you must bring your entire life, your entire existence, into your resolve. You must accept the good and the bad of yourself, every aspect of who you are."

One Warden bit his lip. It was Pure. Seiji prompted him for his query.

"What… what if we're contradictory to ourselves? …I, um, I hate hurting people, but I don't mind fighting… what do I do about that?"

"Things like these are precisely why this is not an overnight task. To learn to harness all the energy waves of your system at once is the goal, but most people cannot do that because they have to be able to work with the contradictions- the only way to be able to do that is meditation on yourself, which is much harder than it sounds, and what we will be doing for the next couple weeks.

Why this is so vital to being able to use multiple flames the way I do is that once you start using one type of flame, you will naturally fall into generating more or that type of energy wave. We do not want that, because that increases your capacity of one type and therefore squashes out the room for other types- it is still possible to wield multiple flames, but not the way I do."

Suzume, still not daring to open her eyes though, said softly- "Maybe it would be easier for us to understand if you can show us your flames, father."

Reborn watched from outside the circle as Seiji considered it, and nodded. "Open your eyes."

Even the hitman leaned forward a bit in his perch in a nearby tree. It had been three decades- twenty-seven years, to be exact, since he had last seen Seiji's flames. Even in Sicily, he hadn't used them even once, simply because it would have been overkill.

Stepping off-centre of the circle of Wardens, the ex-hitman held out his palm away from his body, and for a moment there was silence. Aoshima mentally made a crack about old pipes, but didn't dare make a sound aloud.

All of a sudden there was a rush and a column of cold fire erupted from Seiji's hand. It eventually died down to a flickering, multi-colored bonfire- which was a huge understatement, because Yukimura Seiji's flames were like nothing the Wardens had ever seen, and nothing Reborn had ever seen wielded by anyone else.

The colors moved around each other with clear definitions, but somehow tangled and mixed at the same time. Greens, blues, and purples all shone in a way reminiscent of an abalone shell, never looking quite the same, changing when viewed from different angles. There were occasional sparks, or drips, little tendrils here and there that seemed to act like lumps in the mix, but disappeared relatively quickly into the shimmering flames.

"The properties of Solidification, Tranquility, Construction, and Propagation. Combined in different proportions and different mixes, they can have a variety of effects. The one I am most famous for is most likely this."

Seiji bent to touch his hand to the ground, and almost immediately, a blossom of frost formed on the ground. It then seemed to explode across the ground into a circle of ice- every shard of grass perfectly frozen, the Detention Committee leaping in surprise when the ice touched their bare feet.

"Tranquility brought down the temperature to a level that Solidification and Construction could then make ice crystals out of the liquids in the plant matter. This effect is then duplicated at high speeds across the grass with Propagation."

In fascination, the Wardens broke rank and bent down to touch the frozen ground, so alien under the hot summer sun. Seiji continued to teach, knowing they were listening.

"This is the kind of effect that one can simply not achieve with the normal ways of wielding flames. Processes of nature itself are really a series of actions from the different types of energy waves present in almost every living thing, in quick succession or even at the same time.

In humans, these energy waves are so potent that with training and great resolve, one can harness the energies themselves for external use- The Vongola Famiglia has been one of the most successful groups in doing this, and have named it the Dying Will Flame for the sheer determination needed to be able to wield it."

Reborn half-wished that Tsuna and the Guardians could get to hear this lecture on Flames, but figured that Seiji would only give it to people he was teaching. The knowledge had been passed to him by the various people that he had met in childhood and taken on as mentors, so it was only fitting that the information only be handed down to Seiji's own 'apprentices'.

Seiji himself had first lit his flames at the age of sixteen, after much rumination and long preparations for it. From what Reborn knew there had been many mistakes and injuries sustained, but what was important was that Seiji had eventually been able to reach that balance of the four flames that he held the most affinity to- and he had shaken the Underworld forever.

This was a man that Reborn would never make the mistake of thinking of as his _second_. One look in the eyes of Seiji that morning, when his fury had been at its peak, when all the wrongs to his children, all the wrongs to the Yukimura name had built up and been topped off with a wrong to himself-

One look at those gold-ringed onyxes had let Reborn know that he would never have to admit being wrong for calling Yukimura Seiji his equal.

* * *

_Monday, Namimori_

_Entotsu Apartments, approximately 8PM_

Aoshima climbed the stairs wearily, mind almost completely blank as he passed landing after landing. Usually, he would spend the time climbing the stairs productively in thinking about the running of the Detention Centre, his studies, and various other things he had to deal with in his life- but that day, his brain was so tired that he was just glad he could still remember how to walk.

When he got to his door, his hands fumbled clumsily in the bag slung over his shoulder for his keys, taking three times as long as usual to finish letting himself in and shutting the door, throwing his bag onto the sagging sponge couch and undoing the chain around his Gi.

Shuffling past the corner kitchen towards the apartment's only hallway, he would have missed her completely if she hadn't called out to him.

"Kiyoshi-kun, aren't you going to say hello?"

The silver-haired boy backtracked out of the hallway to stare at the silver-haired woman in his kitchen, leaning against a counter and drinking coffee out of one of his spare mugs.

"You're the woman from last night…" He could only tell because he recognized the navy-blue suit. When he really looked at it, it was really less of a suit and more of a military uniform, the jacket and tie done up tightly against a black shirt underneath, with deeper blue trimmings.

"What are you doing in my house?" Having remembered which department of the Vongola she was from, he didn't bother asking how.

She frowned. "Did Squalo-kun never show you any photos? Don't you recognize me?"

Aoshima stared at her, eyes squinting a bit. It didn't help that his brain was already fried from the training session with Seiji-san.

She sighed after a moment of silence. "Maybe this will help." Plucking out a number of bobby pins and the silver pair of chopsticks, she shook her hair out, in all its medium-length feathery glory.

Aoshima's expression could only be described as appalled. "…Aunt Erminia?" That graceful woman in the photo that emanated nobility? _That _was _her_?

"Superbia Erminia, Head of the Vongola Information Network, and yes, your aunt. Why did it take you so long to realize?" When Aoshima didn't reply, she added softly- "Who do you think took over my brother's position? Marzio is busy already…"

Aoshima's eyelids fell closed, and he leaned himself against the wall. For a moment it seemed his eyes didn't want to open. When they eventually did, his aunt Erminia was still there, sipping coffee.

"But… how? You should be in your late forties by now at least."

She looked up sharply with a look of mock offense. "I am thirty-two! Are you saying I look past my prime?"

"No-it's- that photo I saw of you. With uncle Marzio and my father- it was obviously taken…" his gaze fell to the floor- "before he met my mother, and you looked to be at least in your twenties."

Erminia's expression softened at the mention of Kiyoshi's origins. "…The last photo the three of us took together was at a family reunion in Florence. He met the Egret a month or so after. I was thirteen at the time."

Aoshima looked up at Erminia in disbelief. And he thought Seiji had had mystical powers over age. But then he did some quick mental math, and realized something. "Wait… if Squalo is twenty-four this year… then he must have been… what, five or six in that photo?"

"Five."

One could almost hear Kiyoshi's eye twitching. He had assumed thirteen. And now his previous light headache was made a throbbing migraine by all the mental math and mind-blowing revelations.

"…Are Mafia families vampires or something?"

"…Squalo-kun was tall for his age. He did a lot of training."

Having wrapped his head around that, Aoshima massaged his temples. "Well, aunt, what are you doing in my apartment?"

"Isn't it obvious? I needed somewhere to stay while in Namimori and seeing as I already have a relative here, why waste more money on accommodation?"

"…For your subordinates as well?"

Erminia tutted. "There are no such things as subordinates in the V.I.N.E. We are a cohesive network, and the authority I have does not make me anyone's superior- simply a main root for the vine to grow from, if you will." Her demeanor then changed back to her usually peppy one. "So, do you have enough room for three? The others are waiting on the roof, so I'll get to the point."

Aoshima rubbed the back of his head. "Probably. I'm packing to go live with the Yukimuras for the next month or so, so I'll give you the keys. You can have my bed, maybe one of you could sleep on the couch and another in the bathtub or something. There are towels in the hallway closet. As long as you pay the bills, stay as long as you like."

He was far too tired to deal with anything more at that moment, so he shortened the conversation and continued down the hallway.

Erminia considered it, and nodded. "Cheaper than a hotel any day. Thanks, Kiyoshi-kun."

The boy stopped halfway down the hallway and called back.

"Sorry for being blunt, but I will simply call you my Aunt. I would appreciate it if you could address me properly as well. As an Aoshima."

The door to the bathroom clicked shut.


	32. Chapter 32

**A/N: Thank you to Vikky Plushie taking all that time to read so many chapters of this... thing, and for picking up on how uncomfortable it would be to sleep in a bathtub. (It's not _too _bad if you're short, but otherwise.. eh. And thanks again for the undeserved praise D:) ****Th****ank you to xXxMentalPancakes for... writing a browser-screen sized review that- (I'm sorry, give me a moment. Breathing exercises. I'm back.) -that made me laugh multiple times and then downright choke. (I love how you added a HIIIEEE. So accurate. And recently I haven't been getting into trouble with my teachers about homework, and I realised that that means I'm not working on this thing enough T_T). Thank you p. ageha for the review, and making me stop beathing for a moment at the '-sama'. I then spluttered a little again at Kanako Arichi's '-SAMA' and I think I actually looked like a tomato for a moment. (I'm so sorry you got into trouble at school. I feel like I should dogeza or something. o-o). Thank you to Furionknight for the consistent encouragement. Thank you to for taking te time to leave a review for the first time and for reminding me that there are 'silent readers' out there, making me squee for a moment when remembering that a lot of people actually read this thing. (And of course, thank you for undeserved praise). And finally, thank you to Perfidious for the review and reminding me to put the OC warning back up after the last summary rewrite. ^^" (Though I don't know when you'll read this thanks... or if you will... o-o)**

**Douzo, reader-samas.**

* * *

_Tuesday, Namimori Forest_

_Random plateau, approximately 5AM_

Gokudera Hayato stood in the centre of a plateau surrounded by high cliffs, the sun rising up over the horizon on one side, the sleepy town on the other. His plain grey t-shirt clung to him with sweat, and he had long regretted wearing track pants instead of shorts like he had planned.

His backpack was leaned against a rock near the edge, while he himself was standing closer to the middle, hoodie thrown off to one side, shoes shunted to another, with dark, burnt gouges in the ground surrounding him, some older than others.

One of his mantras for the last day or so had been that if Hibari freaking Kyouya could do it, then he could too.

The other was that he couldn't possibly protect the Tenth if the Tenth was stronger than him.

With a large band-aid across one cheek and his right hand bound tight with bandages, he took in a deep breath for what seemed to be the millionth time, and let all his stresses explode out of his hand into a column of red fire, twisting around itself, distinctly pale in the center in a way that frustrated the bomber to no end.

Letting the flames dissipate, he looked up to see he had born a hole into the pink morning clouds above him.

Letting himself fall backwards to lie on the rough, scorched dry ground of the plateau, Gokudera let out a growl of frustration. There had to be a rational way to go about what he was trying to do- over the years, if he had learned anything about training himself, it was that he needed to work smarter, not harder. He closed his eyes to think.

The silver-head frowned when something shadowed him from above, and he opened his eyes just in time for a cloth package to fall smack into his face.

"Ite! What the hell?"

Opening it, he found dried meat, a small round of cheese, and a large drink bottle filled with water- the last one was probably what had almost broken his nose upon impact. Blinking, he looked up to see a suspiciously familiar large bird, and crawled over to the edge of the plateau to watch it land on the shoulder of none other than Colonello.

"Kora! I heard from Falco here that you've been spending nights here without eating. As your health and PE teacher, I cannot allow you to kill yourself!"

Gokudera was about to yell back an "I'm not!" when his voice died on him- his throat was too dry. Scrambling back around to the water bottle and taking a long drink, he walked back to the edge to see Colonello sitting on the ground, waiting for him.

"I don't need your help!" The words came out before the Storm could stop himself. It was a knee-jerk reaction to someone offering their hand when he _obviously_ didn't needed it.

"Alright. I'll just be sitting here playing with Falco. Don't mind me."

With a harrumph, Gokudera walked back out of Colonello's sight to the centre of the plateau, where he took another deep breath and tried to force all his resolve into his flame. What resulted was a big red bang and another long gouge in the ground as Gokudera was blown back and his flames drew a line in the ground.

Bouncing painfully on his backside, he flew a few feet away from where he had been and laid there for a while on the plateau, as the sun crept higher into the sky. He had never had to be worried about being blown right off the plateau, because he always made sure he was facing town- on the other side of the plateau was a lake deep enough to stop him from dying upon impact.

Getting up slowly, with dry coughs, he went back to where he had left the water bottle and took a long gulp.

As he was resting, Colonello's voice floated nonchalantly from below. "You know, resolve isn't just about personal things. Sometimes the strongest resolve can stem from other people."

"I know that!" Gokudera, of all people, _knew_ that. Colonello knew nothing about him.

Deep breath. Whoosh. This time it was a thin column, and he was able to maintain it as he poured all his promises to Tsuna, all he respected about his Boss, into his hand.

Boom.

As Gokudera lay, arms and head dangling over the edge of the plateau, he muttered "Didn't I say I was going to think about this more instead of just doing the same thing over and over?"

Again, that annoying disembodied voice. "Not everyone's like Tsuna, kora, who values everyone like his life. For some people it's just one or two special ones, or even just one."

"Shut up! I _know_ that!" Everyone knew already that Tsuna had a ridiculous capacity to love. It was just one of those things that made Gokudera respect him even more.

For some reason Colonello's annoying remarks just made Gokudera more and more frustrated with himself. Come _on_. Hibari had developed his flame within seconds of being informed that he was supposed to- Tsuna hadn't ever felt a Cloud flame like that before.

This time, Gokudera tried his hardest to control a smaller flame, one that wouldn't blow up in his face. But he couldn't pour more intensity into it without making it bigger- he wanted it to stay the same size and purify, not enlarge. The purity of the flame depended on the intensity of one's innermost, most deeply-chained resolve- of one's reason to live. That Gokudera knew for a fact.

Boom.

The built up pressure blew the Storm Guardian into the lake.

Colonello watched calmly as the boy flew in a graceful arc across the water and fell in with a small splash. After a couple seconds of bubbling, his head emerged again, not looking _too_ injured physically, but rather irritated. Very irritated. Vongola Tenth Storm Guardian level irritated.

"Your ultimate resolve is your reason to live-"

"I. KNOW."

"So what is your reason for living?"

"To be Jyuudaime's right-hand-man and serve him with dignity and honor!"

Colonello stared at him for a moment, and then broke into fits of laughter. Even Falco joined the blond man as he rolled around the grass, laughing his absolute ass off, the bird letting out strange squawky peals as it rocked from side to side on the grass, wings wide open.

Gokudera looked livid and somewhat offended at being laughed at by a bird, but the ex-Arcobaleno really couldn't take him seriously when he was soaked to the bone and stripped to the waist, shirt letting out buckets of lake water as it was wrung.

"Do you still not get it? The resolve that you carry around every day; that makes people valuable to you, that makes you value your own life?"

Gokudera stared at him blankly.

"The ultimate human resolve, Gokudera Hayato, is love."

This time it was the bomber's turn to stare.

After a few seconds, he grabbed his PE teacher's collar and gave him a bit of a slap around, after which he walked back towards the foot of the plateau, muttering about nutty side-effects of the Arcobaleno curse.

* * *

_Tuesday, Namimori_

_Midori Boys' Private Academy, approximately 9AM_

Fujiwara Kousuke looked out onto the courtyard as the one-hundred-and-forty strong kung fu club warmed up with loud 'Ha's' and 'Hoi's'. It might sound like a funny sight, but when it was a twelve-by-twelve platoon of uniformed martial arts experts kicking and leaping in unison, yelling in unison, maintaining perfect rank, not one boy out of place- Fujiwara started to wonder just how Namigaku had managed to be more intimidating than Midori.

Then he remembered the Detention Committee and closed his eyes, massaging the bridge of his nose.

He heard the door to his office open and close, followed by familiar footsteps.

"Kamiyama, any more news from the homeland?"

"The situation is growing larger by the day. The Vongola have issued out warnings to all significant families, even those not in the Vongola Alliance, about their enemy, apparently named the Asphodel Alliance."

"Asphodel? The mythical Greek fields of purgatory? Why such a strange name?"

Kamiyama sat down on the chair in front of Fujiwara's desk. "The alliance is made up completely of ex-Famiglias. Dissolved ones that hold a grudge. The Vongola are being haunted by the dead."

"Any news of the Japanese situation?"

"Nothing, only that there may be an Asphodel presence very close by."

Fujiwara ran a couple fingers through his Japanese-black hair, nodding. "It wouldn't be surprising. Mafia presence and residence in Japan has been steadily increasing for decades now- I myself am a tribute to that fact. It was the Orsini Alliance's luck that let us build a school in a Vongola town, and now most likely we will be involved in their feuds."

Kamiyama adjusted his glasses and nodded.

Second in Namimori or not, Midori Boy's was still a Mafia school, despite its mundane name. The name had been chosen to fit into the domestic little town quietly, but the students were anything but mundane.

There was a silence. Fujiwara abruptly stopped playing with his hair and ducked, letting a piece of broken brick fly through the window and bounce off his desk at a speed that would have taken his head off if he hadn't moved in time. He peered out the window with a raised eyebrow.

"Sorry, little bear!" the kung fu club captain, and one of two joint heirs to the Romano Famiglia, waved with a sheepish grin. A pile of smashed bricks laid at his feet. He called the president 'little bear' for obvious reasons- he was heir to the Orsini Famiglia, name meaning 'bear'.

"It's fine, Augusto. Just- at least- warn us next time?"

Fujiwara then closed the window, though he doubted that it would do much good if another brick went flying towards it.

"Kamiyama?"

"Mn?"

"If the time comes, which side do you think we should join? Asphodel, or Vongola?"

Kamiyama put his elbows on the desk, hands covering his mouth. He seemed to be seriously considering the pros and cons of each. "Us, as in Midori Boys', or us, as in the Orsini Alliance?"

"We're technically both, remember?"

The future head of the Maestri Famiglia's finances thought carefully for a while. As he was a second son, he would not inherit the Famiglia, but that in no way meant that the future of it didn't concern him. The Asphodel were larger in number, but the Vongola would obviously have the most technological and organizational stability.

On the other hand, if the Asphodel took out the Vongola, Sicily's biggest powerhouse, then it may benefit them, but the rush of smaller Famiglias to fill the gap would both be annoying and prove inadequate for what the Vongola currently provided to the Underworld.

Opening his mouth carefully, Kamiyama said- "We will of course stay neutral until pressed, but I think our luck may lie with the Vongola."

Fujiwara smirked. "You think so too? But remember that the Aspohdel is bigger. It has access to knowledge from all around the world."

Kamiyama didn't even need to think when he replied "Well, the Vongola have Namigaku. And Namigaku has the Detention Committee."

"…Touche."

They both sat in silence for a little while, contemplating the future of their school.

"Who knew that the little pipsqueak Sawada Tsunayoshi was one of the most powerful people in Sicily?"

"Well, we're not supposed to know yet, so remember to keep quiet about it."

Fujiwara grinned again. "Mn. The Giegue and Merlo aren't the only information powerhouses."

"WATCH OUT ABOVE!"

Fujiwara ducked.

* * *

_Tuesday, Namimori_

_Entotsu Apartments, approximately 12PM_

A brunette with a chin-length bob was standing at the stove, making pancakes in the kitchen. Lancia was out retrieving the files on the Asphodel Alliance, and their dear leader Erminia was moping in the bedroom.

When she finally did come out she was hugging a pillow, still in flannel pajamas, hair down, splayed across her shoulders.

"Aliceee…" she drew out the last syllable, so it sounded more like "Ali-cheeeiiiii" with the Italian pronunciation of the name.

The brunette didn't look away from the stove. "Hm?" Erminia sat down at the spongy couch, in front of the scratched wooden coffee table and rickety box-shaped TV.

"My nephew hates me."

"I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

"He left the apartment when I said I was going to stay here."

"Didn't you say he went to train with the Yukimuras?"

"He told me to call him by his last name!"

"Isn't that normal in Japan?"

"But- but- Ali_ce!_ Tell me what to do to mend the relationship!"

"…Just give him time. A middle-aged woman broke into his house, claimed to be his aunt that he's only ever seen in photos, and hijacked his apartment. That would strain any sort of relationship, if you even had one in the first place." She switched off the stove.

"I'm thirty-two! That's not middle-aged! It's just really, really late twenties. "

"You have a grey hair."

"WHERE?"

The brunette smacked a hand to her face.

"Hey, this isn't grey, this is Superbia silver! …Just like my little nephew has."

Alice washed the pan and spatula and picked up the plate of pancakes, waiting for it…

"Ali_ceee_-mph!"

Alice had stuffed a pancake into Erminia's mouth, setting the plate down in front of her leader-figure on the coffee table, sitting down next to her and enjoying her meal in relative peace as long as she gave the silver-headed infant one every couple minutes.

* * *

_Tuesday, Namimori Forest_

_Asphodel Hideout, approximately 2PM_

"This is madness-" Maria was cut off abruptly by the person on the other end of the line. She looked rather peeved at that, flicking her maroon locks back over her shoulder.

"I can't allow our members to carry on being taken! What? That's- that's ridiculous! Why target an individual household if it's not even the Decimo's? You're not making logical-"

The girl had to hold the phone away from her ear as the Asphodel's ultimate leader raged on the other end. He wanted things done his way or not done at all, frustrating Maria to no end, because his way was _stupid_.

She growled as she put the phone back to her ear. "Fine. I'll hit the damn house, but I'll be going with them." And with that she hung up.

Felice then entered her office with timing far too perfect, a glass of cold tea in hand, a small, understanding smile at his lips.

"What are you smirking at?" Maria snapped lightly, taking a long drink of tea and sighing.

"Nothing, my lady."

Just as she put down the glass on the coaster that Felice had slipped onto the table, a frazzled-looking ex-Head of Breeding of the Gatti Famiglia burst into her office.

"Miss Maria! One of the shorthairs is going into labor!"

With a sigh and a hand to her face, the blue-eyed ex-heir of the Gatti Famiglia stood from her chair and started down the hallway.

"Anna, the cardboard boxes are kept in the attic. Beat the dust off it first. Felice, get the towels and boil the scissors."

Maria Gatti was perhaps one of the only young female nobles- or at least ex-nobles- that knew how to deliver a litter of kittens.

* * *

_Tuesday, Palermo_

_Vongola Property, approximately 8AM (Central European Time)_

Squalo and Levi were cooperating. They were actually _cooperating_, because that was how desperate the situation had become.

They were pulling out all the stops to stop the fourth Asphodel invasion of the _week_.

"Damn it- if we keep letting them push forward…" Squalo gritted his teeth.

"Never!" Levi whisper-yelled. "Not on my life!"

"We can't let them get any closer."

It may be useful to note here that Squalo and Levi were at the HQ's gate, fending off a couple squadrons of Asphodels. Usually it would have been nothing, but...

It seemed they had been futile in their efforts, Levi's eyes widening as a familiar red and black object poked out of one of the second-storey windows. "Duck!"

An enormous explosion of orange flames blew the Asphodel units into the air, some landing as far as the property line. Squalo and Levi stood back up once the coast was clear and were dusting themselves off when a killing aura even more dangerous than the flames had been started emitting from the open window.

"_Who. Dared. To wake me_."

Squalo put a palm to his face and sighed. "_Cazz_-"

Levi's hand covered the captain's face before he could say it. "Boss can hear you."

Squalo gave Levi some hand gestures that were a fair equivalent to what he had been about to say.

* * *

_Tuesday, Namimori Forest_

_Random plateau, approximately 7:30PM_

Gokudera Hayato was lying down on top of the plateau, staring up at the sky for the thousandth time that day.

It was a pale orange at that point in the day, streaked with reds and pinks and all manners of other colors.

Colonello had left earlier, knowing that the bomber had food and water. He had actually stayed for several hours even after being slapped, so perhaps Gokudera should have felt some sort of gratitude for his efforts.

All his efforts that day had once again only added more scorch marks to the plateau. He was shirtless, hair limp with sweat, and still saw no noticeable progress on his flame purity.

Sometimes Gokudera envied the other Guardians. Hibari the freakish genius in disguise. Yamamoto the natural. Mukuro who'd been through six lives, Lambo who could work his flames with such ease with his child's simplicity in resolve- even Ryohei to whom training was a natural process.

Sometimes he felt like he was the only one that ever had any trouble getting stronger. Tsuna was a give-in, he was Jyuudaime, but even the others- fighting and training and getting stronger seemed to come so easily to them, while Gokudera was constantly losing an arm and a leg to keep up.

"Well, no time for self-pity." The silver-head got back up onto his feet, and sighed, looking over the town bathed in gold.

In a way Gokudera had come to love that little town, even if he would never admit it. It had given him much happiness and let him meet irreplaceable people.

Closing his eyes, Gokudera stood and lingered for a moment on things he felt that before coming to Namimori, before meeting Tsuna and all the people that joined him, he had never known.

A ruby-red flame escaped from the tips of his left fingers, and his eyes widened in alarm. He almost put them out again with surprise, but caught himself just in time.

His flames were a clear fire truck red all the way through, fading to dark maroon, clear outlines of the small branching tendrils unique to the Storm flame.

Two and a half days he had spent struggling and forcing things for nothing.

The colors were those of blood, but oddly enough, Gokudera found that he didn't mind too much.

As long as he could fulfill his promises now.


	33. Chapter 33

**A/N: Thank you to blizzard 10 for motivation to write. Thank you to Furionknight for the encouragement. Lunakatsuma-sama- hang on. I just realised something. I DIDN'T MENTION YOU IN THE LAST AN! D: ASDFGHJKL. I'm so sorry. Dogeza. Dogeza galore. (Thank you as usual for complete disregard for my cardiac health and really thorough reviews that make me look like this when I read them- ^,,,^). And oh, look, another one that's bad for my health. xXxMentalPancakesxXx, all I'll say is that we seem to think on some pretty similiar wavelengths (besides the fact that your imagination is ten times as epic.) Thank you to CrimsonSkyTamer for making me blush and giving motivation to write. Thank you to tora-chan83 for liking this thing at all ^^". Thank you HeavenlyShadeOfBlue for some seriously undeserved praise and reassurance (I feel like I'm running out of vocabulary to fangirl at reviews. o-o). Thank you to p. ageha for the pity to my health, and for making me splutter 'but-but-but' for about five minutes straight. And IT'S MISS LUNAKATSUMA AGAIN. CUE ASDFGHJKL. (But srsly. _I love you_ and everyone that takes the time to review like you do. In a totally creepy way :D). Thank you to Kanako Arichi for- look at the length of that thing. O_O. I like reading different interpretations of the story and yours are some of the most interesting. Also, ahem, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A LOW-LEVEL REVIEWER. -coughcough-hack-**

**Douzo, reader-samas. **

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori _

_Namimori Apartments, approximately 10AM_

Mukuro was running a zucchini across a mandolin at the kitchen counter, face unreadable but humming slightly, letting the others in their rooms know that he was content in making lunch.

Slices of the cylindrical vegetable were gathered in a bowl under the metal cheese-grater shaped slicing mandolin, a bowl of sliced squash already done beside it.

He had just finished slicing all the vegetables, and was pouring out the tomato-herb sauce into the pan when someone banged on the front door.

Raising an eyebrow, Mukuro wiped his hands on his apron and quickly took it off, throwing it over the back of a chair before answering the door.

At the door was one bedraggled silver-headed bomber, backpack slung over one shoulder, panting from running.

"Gokudera Hayato? What-"

"Have you done it yet?"

"Excuse me?"

Gokudera gripped the illusionist's arms in a crazed manner, shaking him. "Your flames! Have you gotten them right yet?"

Rather alarmed by the silver-head being more manic than usual, Mukuro pried his fingers off him and sat him down, closing the front door. "Are you alright? Do you need something?"

Gokudera sprung right back up from the chair, dumping his backpack on it. He held out his hand towards Mukuro, and after an awkward moment, it lit with flame.

Mukuro let out a breath in relief. For a horrifying moment there he had thought that Gokudera might have been asking for his hand.

The blood red Storm Flame took his attention for a moment, before the Mist had to peel his eyes away to look back at Gokudera. "And? You are asking me if I have achieved a similar purity? Why?"

"I just need to know. I've asked everyone, and none of the others have got it yet." There was a hint of triumph in the bomber's eyes, reflecting the flickering red flames in his palm.

Mukuro glanced at the flames again before putting his apron back on, not figuring Gokudera would notice, picking up his bowl of sauce again. "You might want to put that out. It's chewing through the air around it."

Gokudera obliged with a flick of his hand. "So you haven't?"

"No, but I believe Chrome may be on to something. She's working in her room as of right now." Mukuro carried on with laying the vegetable slices in a swirl around the pan.

Gokudera seemed to be in deep thought, before he spotted Mukuro's dish. "What are you doing?"

"…Cooking."

"What is that? Is it Italian?"

"French. It's called ratatouille." The illusionist pronounced the name perfectly, French 'R' and all.

"…Since when do you know French?"

"…I had a lot of spare time in prison."

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Namimori Supermarket, approximately 11AM_

Mukuro muttered about how rude it was for people to crash into people's apartments unannounced, scanning the shelves for ciabatta bread to serve with the ratatouille. Lunch was the main meal in the Kokuyo household, so it was usually made fairly filling.

Unable to find ciabatta, the illusionist was wandering the pasta aisle instead when he again crashed into someone familiar.

For a moment he thought it was Shin again, and dreaded awkward small talk about the baking goods last time, but quickly realized that it wasn't. With a shorter stature and generally being smaller in size, the indignant expression on Ichinose Sayaka's face quickly turned to exasperation when she recognized red and blue eyes. "I don't even…"

After a moment of staring, she shook her head and walked straight past him, with at least fifty kilograms of rice between two baskets, one in each hand.

Mukuro frowned, and then smirked as he turned around on his heel to watch her walk away. He had Ken watching the oven at home, but didn't trust him not to start a scrap with Gokudera and tear half the apartment building down, so he was afraid he couldn't hang around to tease her.

He then frowned again at the trailing bandage from one of the redhead's sleeves, and like a scarf unraveling the rest of the small details fell into place. Bags under her eyes. Twigs in her hair. She was wearing jeans and a sweatshirt, but they were too big for her.

Were the Wardens training as well? Where?

…Did it have something to do with Reborn being away from Tsunayoshi so often lately?

Heterochromatic eyes widened.

"Kufufufu… this will be interesting."

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Ootori Hospital, approximately 12PM_

Ootori Kyouya massaged his temples , idly holding phone to his ear, Tamaki whining senselessly on the other end. He paid just enough attention to avoid causing even more whining.

"Kyouya? Are you listening?"

"Of course. And my answer's still the same. Maybe if you stopped trying to forcefully recruit Haruhi as your daughter she might think of you as less of a creep."

Cue more incessant whining. Meanwhile the dark-haired boy stared out his office window to the graying sky outside, a heaviness building in the consistency of the air.

He glanced in the direction of a set of manila folders delivered to him from the basement that morning and sighed uncomfortably.

"A storm is brewing…"

"STORM? WHERE? HARUHIIIIIIII!" The line clicked shut. Kyouya tossed the phone aside without a second thought, hands reaching for the folders.

_Wednesday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 1PM_

The Wardens didn't fit at the family dining table, so they ate outside, on the back porch.

They ate their rice and pickled plums in relative silence, mostly too tired to chatter about anything not of grave importance.

Aside from daily six-hour meditation sessions starting from five in the morning, their routine with Seiji also included near-death-experience oriented training and general combat training for the rest of the day, and then another three hours of meditation until about nine when they went to sleep.

With Seiji being able to turn just about anything into a weapon, surprise attacks were often and kept the Committee on their toes. They had also not learnt little by example, even little Pure now so skillful with a cooking spatula that he could most likely give the average man a concussion with it.

Suzume and Aoshima were quite shell-shocked at first by the whole experience with Seiji as a Spartan coach instead of the doting father they were used to. But eventually they accepted it like they had with everything that had happened up until that point- understanding now that there were sides of Seiji that they had never seen; they became one with the Wardens in submission to his teaching.

Shin and Shou had taken a backseat in most of this, helping out with physical training when needed, but steering clear of the flame meditation circle, Shin especially. The Underworld's errand boy had found his own ways of possessing his multi-flames, and didn't want to disrupt the careful balance he had built over the years.

Most of the Wardens were almost done with their meals when they all froze at once, Seiji raising an eyebrow at this for a split second before becoming still himself.

Plates were set gently on the ground, almost in unison; chopsticks brandished.

And out of the bushes sprang ambushers that were about to be ambushed themselves.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori Forest_

_Asphodel Hideout, approximately 4PM_

Maria swore angrily, slamming the receiver down in the general direction of the phone.

"Felice?"

"Yes, my lady?" For once, he sounded genuinely concerned.

"Could you please fetch me something warm to drink?"

He came back with something that smelled like cinnamon and childhood. "Hot chocolate?" she said in mild disbelief.

"I thought you could use the comfort, miss."

She brought the mug carefully near her mouth, Felice's fingers moving to brace it lightly as she drank.

The ambush had been a disaster. The information had detailed a family of two or three at most, but when they had arrived at that grand house not barely a kilometer away from the Asphodel hideout, there had been two dozen skilled fighters waiting for them.

One of them, a tall, ambiguous redhead, Maria remembered, had struck her head so precisely that she had passed out. Luckily her team managed to escape, even with having to carry her and some of their comrades.

She had woken up to darkness.

According to one of the nurses from the ex-Sapienti Famiglia, blunt trauma to her head had caused swelling, putting pressure on some nerve endings and giving her temporary blindness. While assured that it looked most likely to be temporary and treatable, it was a ridiculous inconvenience.

The worst part was most likely that when she had reported to the Asphodel leader, he had talked like he had expected them to fail all along. 'I had thought that I might as well give you a chance, but it seems that you are indeed incompetent.'

"_Incompetent_… He fed us false information, and into the lair of the dragon, no less, and talks as if _we_ are the ones who have done wrong." She muttered violently into her drink. She couldn't see it, but she knew Felice was most likely smiling indulgently at her side, as he took the mug off her hands and set it somewhere on her desk, and then warning her of where it was.

"I guess I can't do much work if I can't see… Felice?"

"Hm?"

"Will you take me to see Ambra? She said she would have a treatment plan ready by now."

"Of course." He picked his mistress up carefully, adjusting a bit to avoid pulling at her hair, and made his way out the door of her office and down the hallway.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 6PM_

Tsuna trudged up the stairs after a long day training out around a lake.

His flames were useless if he passed out each time after using them, so he had been investing in endurance training. It seemed to be paying off- he could actually walk home on his own.

Stripping of his mud-stained clothes and face-planting onto his bed, Tsuna lay there for a moment before reaching at arm out to the side and grabbing his cell phone that he had left on his desk, finding three messages.

The most recent was from Chrome. It consisted of a simple 'I love you, Boss, for teaching me what family is', that made Tsuna sit up and stare at his phone for a moment. He would have continued to stare if he had not remembered that there were other messages. He decided that he would get back to that one.

But he never would, because the next was from Reborn, and his message was even curter. It said that 'The Asphodel are on the move. Prepare yourself.'

And as if he hadn't had enough cryptic messages for a day, the next message was from an unknown number.

'Decimo. Please reply when you are home, and we will deliver our goods.'

It took Tsuna a moment before he realized what it was talking about, and started to furiously type back.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Namimori Apartments, approximately 7PM _

Chrome sat with her legs tucked up under her chin on her bed, in her room. It was plainly furnished with a bed and a study desk, the sunset peeking through the window to light the room in pale pink stripes through the Venetian blinds.

Her personal phone sat flipped open beside her, showing a long chain of sent messages, each one having been mulled on and considered seriously before sending.

If Flames were external representatives of inner resolve, then resolve had to be strong for flames to be strong. That was the theory.

Telling someone that they were important to you, or that you loved them, to Chrome meant that you were promising, in a way, to do all in your power to love and cherish them. It was making a promise that she would protect them, which sounded silly, especially considering that she was more often than not the one that was protected by others, but made sense to the little illusionist.

By making that kind of promise, she _had_ to get stronger. She had reasons to. She promised to.

She would tell these people as many times as she needed to, over technology and in person, that she would protect them, because she had to. Contrary to popular belief, Chrome Dokuro loved her Family.

There was just one person left that she had never had to use technology to communicate with, and also the one that she had the hardest time convincing herself that she could protect.

'…_Mukuro-sama?'_

Even after so long not using the mental link, his response was almost immediate. '_What is it, Chrome?'_

There was a long pause during which Chrome sensed her patron's curiosity across the link.

'…'

Continuing to stay silent for a while, Chrome then got up from her bed and walked out into the hallway, where Mukuro was waiting for her. Squeezing her eyes shut, she threw her arms around his torso and buried her face in his shirt, startling him.

"…Chrome?"

"I love you."

'…_For what?'_

'_Everything._'

Mukuro saw a flicker of deep, dark indigo in the corner of his eye.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori_

_Hibari Residence, approximately 9PM_

In a traditional Japanese home on the outskirts of town, Hibari Kyouya sat on his porch, watching the river go by, cell phone with a recently ended call beside him.

He pondered the contents of the call, towel in his hair, looking up and out into the forest. Somewhere out there was the enemy.

Picking up his phone, he returned inside, kicking the sliding doors shut.

* * *

_Wednesday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 9PM_

Sayaka fell exhausted onto her sleeping bag, making a startled sound when he landed on something solid. Reaching in, she pulled out a metal chain with the kanji for 'Hail' engraved on one of the links.

"_Mitsu_…"

"Sorry." He hastily took it off her hands, stuffing it into his own sleeping bag before climbing in.

Deciding she didn't care enough to reprimand him, the redhead simply crawled into her own sleeping bag, kicked a little to make sure her own chain was still in the bottom where she had left it, and then pulled the duvet-like material over her head, only a few fiery locks spilling out.

The rest of the Wardens settled just as quickly, murmuring goodnights, and soon the Yukimura living room was silent.

One might wonder how eighteen high school students had all been able to ditch their own households to chase after their school committee chairmen all the way to Europe, and then follow through such a long chain of events to where they were then. Unlike Suzume and Aoshima, most of them had no previous links to the underworld.

We say 'most', because some others' families were in trouble with yakuza and Chinese crime lords to the point that they had changed their names a dozen times, but that's another story.

The eldest Warden, White, had been chosen by Shou mainly because she and her little brother were in foster care, and had been having some infamous troubles with their 'new parents'. Many of these troubles included spatula threats and promises to return the siblings right the next day if they didn't behave. White, also known as Kuromine Akemi, had been putting up with everything thrown at her, for the sake of little Akira, when Shou had picked her for his most recent generation of Wardens.

Akiyama Mitsuya, also known as Hail, had been a kendo champion with the weight of the world on his shoulders. During a losing streak in which he was at his worst, suffering harsh disappointment from his traditional family, Aoshima picked him from the dozens of stronger martial artists in Nami-middle at the time to become a part of the Detention Committee.

The Seikawa twins, otherwise known as Frost and Icicle, had been failing all the way through school while busy being delinquents, all of which their parents were oblivious to. Apparently the 'you look after you, and you look after you' idea didn't work too well when both had been insanely jealous of their new baby sister. But over the summer, when Suzume had caught them helping a pregnant woman to the hospital, she had offered them positions in the Detention Centre on the spot.

And Pure? Pure was a little boy named Kuromine Akira.

To make a long story short, the Wardens were where they were because no one else cared where they were.

They were most likely Namimori's eighteen sappiest sob stories, but they were also Namimori's eighteen Wardens of retribution.

When one had to train others to tightrope-walk a thin grey line as a profession, it was easier to show light to darkness than to try to mix darkness into light.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 1AM_

Suzume stared at her ceiling.

Why was she awake?

Waking in the middle of the night was strange enough, without having to consciously remind herself that she was in her own room again. The distinctly Japanese design was a harsh contrast to the room she and Aoshima had used in the Vongola Mansion.

She was about to turn and push Kiyoshi's foot out of the way so she could go to the bathroom when something knocked at her balcony door.

Turning around slowly, she bit back a small yelp when she saw Hibari Kyouya's shadow, backed by the moon.

Taking a glance at Kiyoshi face-planted and thoroughly asleep at the foot of her mattress, silver hair catching moonlight while shifting ever so slightly with each breath, Suzume quietly slipped out of bed and opened the balcony door, stepping out and shutting it slowly behind her.

"What in Kami-sama's name are you doing here?" she said at a hoarse hiss.

He blinked back at her calmly, straightening his gakuran. Wait, why was he wearing his school uniform in the middle of the night? Was this one of those nonsensical dreams that Kiyoshi talked about having when he drank champagne?

"Tsunayoshi found the Asphodel base."

Suddenly Suzume was awake.

"…That still doesn't explain why you're on my balcony at two in the morning."

"It's only one."

She blinked and sighed. Hibari gathered that she would need some convincing to join him that night.

"You remember what you promised back in Sicily?"

Her eyes hardened. "Yes, I remember. Fine, give me a moment to change into better clothing-"

"I'm not asking you to fight with me," he seemed to almost blurt out, taking the Yukimura by surprise.

"Then?..."

He sighed. "We're fighting for the same cause, are we not?"

She looked at him strangely, and then she thought about it.

It wasn't just her family now, was it? The Wardens, Tsuna, Namimori as a whole…

Eventually she nodded. "Yeah."

Even Hibari looked uncomfortable at this point.

"Then I don't want you to fight with me. I want you to fight beside me."


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: I'msosorryI'msosorryI'msosorry. Oh god. I'm so sorry. That was a ridiculous gap. Augh. I'm so sorry.**

**But thank you to HeavenlyShadeofBlue for revealing that you have an inner fangirl. Thank you to blizzard 10 for the image of ninja!Hibari. Thank you to Furionknight for the encouragement. Uh, miss xXxMentalPancakesxXx... are you alright? The- the only dying that should really be going on around here is me from the WHOLE PAGE OF REVIEWS. (Sorry, just had to note that. I kid you not that I almost fainted.) Your shipping never ceases to be... interesting though. ^^ And SO MANY IMAGES. I couldn't take anything to do with prison seriously for days. Thank you to p. ageha for the kindness... which made me feel so guilty for dragging out this gap. (Did I meantion I'm really sorry? I'M SO SORRY TT_TT -dogeza-). Thank you to itachiluv18 for the feedback. Thank you to BlackMoonWhiteSky for enjoying this thins enough to review from old chapters... though I don't know when you might see this. o-o. Rinail, you kinda killed me there for a moment. I'm sorry. But srsly. D: UNDESERVED PRAISE. Pretty much a similiar reaction to Chibi-Onee-chan, thank you so much for leaving a review. Cause I fangirl over them, if no one's noticed. And sometimes they kill me from too much blood to the face, but hey ^^". And finally, thank you to lastwinter42 for spending all that time reading this... thing. **

**And of course, as usual, thanks always to Lunakatsuma for reading and reviewing this thing for... a long time. Since the beginning, actually. D: **

**You know that that was a WHOLE PAGE OF REVIEWS RIGHT? A WHOLE PAGE D: You know the drill. Poke my bloodstained body if it amuses you, but with a stick so you don't get anything stained. **

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 6AM_

Click.

Tsuna didn't look up from his pillow. "Mornin' Reborn."

"Dame-Tsuna," the hitman acknowledged. There was a silent shuffle as the gun was retracted.

"Good morning, Sawada-kaichou."

"Mornin', Seiji-san."

There was a moment of awkward silence, before Tsuna slowly lifted his face off his pillow.

Seiji was leaning against the wall beside his bed, Reborn standing right in front of Tsuna, idly twirling his gun.

Tsuna looked form Reborn to Seiji, and then back.

"…Do I even want to know?"

That earned him a Leon-mallet to the head, making him yelp in surprise. He had long gotten used to being hit with random things, just not so much at random times.

"Have you been to Namigaku this morning yet?"

Tsuna blinked at the strange question. "Well, no, I just woke up…" After a moment, Tsuna's eyes widened. He leapt out of bed, almost smacking into Seiji, and threw his window open, looking down the street and in the direction of the school.

Smoke billowed from it.

"_What happened?_" Tsuna screamed as he ran to his closet, stripping of his pajamas at an alarming speed.

Reborn sighed, tilting up his fedora with the end of his gun. "Calm down, it's nothing serious. Hibari just tried to make hot chocolate."

Tsuna stopped, halfway through whipping off his pants, and then demurely pulled them back up. "What?"

Seiji shrugged. "Apparently he and Suzume were setting up the school as a new Vongola base of operations when Hibari tried to make breakfast. There's no damage to the building- Suzu stopped him in time- but I think the smell might be around for a while."

Tsuna stared at the two. "You woke me up at six in the morning because my Cloud Guardian can't cook?"

"For one part. The other would be that those two also did some recon last night and found the Asphodel base. We're lucky Suzume was there to stop Hibari from charging in, because they got us some valuable information. I already sent Aoshima and the V.I.N.E. members to the school. Get dressed and go gather your Guardians."

Tsuna sighed and resumed de-pantsing himself.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 6:30AM_

Hibari sat quietly at the counter of the Home Economics room, looking strangely like a scolded dog put in the naughty corner.

Suzume had all the range hoods open and working in an attempt to get rid of the smell of burnt sugar, she herself cracking several eggs into a large frying pan and salting them, a few other small piles of breakfast foods behind her.

"…Can I help with-"

"Sit."

Hibari sat.

"Good boy."

He huffed.

They continued like that for a little while, in silence. Hibari blinked with Hibird while Suzume cooked in the background. Being raised by a chef, it should have been common sense to allow her to in the first place.

After a while, Hibari got restless. "Woman."

No response as she cooked some bacon.

"Yukimura."

Still no response.

He got irritated. Was she sticking her foot so far in just to test waters?

Hibird chirped a suggestion at him. He glared at the little puffball. Traitor.

"…SUZUME."

She turned around. "Did you say something? I can't hear you over the oil popping."

Hibari put a palm to his face.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 7AM_

The group sat around the coffee table covered in breakfast in the Student Council Office, forks digging into various fried or toasted items.

Tsuna in particular was glad when he was handed a coffee. He needed one to handle the image of Hibari…

"Could you get the reports, please?" Suzume asked him quietly, as if testing new waters.

The prefect hummed agreement and stood to go get a small stack of papers from the printer in the corner of the Council Office's waiting room.

_That._

There had been some sort of role changes going on, and as usual, Tsuna was the most traumatized by it. He brought his coffee up to his face to breathe in it's scent.

"…Kiyoshi?" the silver-headed V.I.N.E. leader said cautiously, from the opposite couch to the Detention Vice-Chairman.

"Aunt." Kiyoshi replied indifferently.

Immediately Erminia turned her aghast look to her brunette subordinate, who then promptly stuffed a piece of toast into her mouth, though not able to silence the small wail of despair emitting from the silver-haired woman's mouth.

What had happened to the intimidating, confident leader of the Vongola information Network?

Tsuna took a sip of his coffee.

Chrome and Mukuro sat together as usual, chatting together quietly.

"Do you want some jam on that?"

"No, it's fine."

"Sugar in your coffee, dear?"

"Really, it's fine, Mukuro-sama."

Only Mukuro was waiting on her hand and foot.

Tsuna took a bigger sip.

Gokudera and Yamamoto were also sitting together.

"Come on, just tell me."

"Nope."

"A hint."

"Heh, it's more fun for you to figure it out yourself."

"Come on, Hayato, just tell me!"

Yamamoto was agitated while Gokudera was ridiculously smug and carefree.

Tsuna took a large gulp.

He then spotted from the corner of his eye, Reborn adjusting Seiji's scarf and the latter batting him away with a small fuss, making the hitman frown.

Seiji then smiled- cheekily? …Indulgently, and threw the uneven, long end of his scarf around Reborn.

The latter didn't mind. In fact, he pulled the thick white fabric tighter around his shoulders.

Tsuna downed the rest of the cup and prepared for a long morning.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Forest_

_Asphodel Hideout, approximately 8AM_

Maria woke and opened her eyes, and then frowned when they refused to obey, still seeing darkness.

She then remembered that she was temporarily blind, and put a palm to her face before feeling around her bed to find the edge and cautiously sliding herself off.

Continuing to feel her way around, she was able to get dressed in simple pull-on clothes and brush her hair somewhat.

It was around this point that Felice knocked and entered her room, blinking at her attire, and then putting a hand to his mouth to stop himself from chuckling. "My lady, why are you wearing a broken pillowcase and a sweater on your legs?"

Maria stopped, cursed, and then returned to the bathroom. A couple seconds later the sweater was thrown out onto her bed, and Felice handed her a pair of jeans, then proceeding to wait.

"…Felice?"

"Hm?"

"A little help?" she said begrudgingly.

"Of course."

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Forest_

_Forest near Yukimura Residence, approximately 11AM_

The Wardens were sprawled out around in a rough circle, most panting, others sweating silently.

They had just finished their morning meditation sessions, and still there was not yet visible progress among the eighteen. However some of them did feel that they were starting to see things in a different light.

There was a peaceful silence for a moment before all eighteen Wardens were soaked to the bone with water falling from the sky.

Jumping up and spluttering, some stripping of the waterlogged Gi, they all turned to see Aoshima looking stupidly amused.

Pure was the first to speak. "How…"

The Wardens didn't know whether to splutter in disbelief or celebrate when Aoshima held up his palm of red, yellow and blue.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 11AM_

Seiji stopped examining the guessed floor plan of the Asphodel hideout and looked up out the window he was sitting beside on a footstool, like a startled meerkat, though with none of the panic of one. Simply a small smile.

"As expected of Tino and Jun's son…"

Reborn looked over to him curiously, before returning to going over battle strategy with Alice, Erminia rather uselessly curled up in a ball on the other end of the couch. Reborn and Alice were sat in an armchair and the end of the couch furthest from Erminia, respectively, pieces of drawn-on paper covering the coffee table corner in between them.

Tsuna, sitting with the guardians at the other set of couches, seemed to have noticed Seiji's moment of distraction and misread it. "Ano, Seiji-san, you could have just gone back along with Suzume-san and Aoshima-san. You don't have to stay."

Seiji looked over at Tsuna in surprise, before shaking his head with a smile. "It's good for them to relieved of my pressure every now and then. A watched pot never boils," he chuckled, getting up. "Want a refill?" he asked Tsuna, nodding to his mug.

"Ah, um. Yes please, thank you."

By the time he walked out into the hallway, Seiji was carrying four mugs and three drinking glasses, tucked securely in his fingers.

Reborn took a glance at him as he exited, before returning to the papers in front of him, covered in scribbles and rough floor plans. Alice was still talking.

"The most important thing is to not allow them time to scatter. In my experience, the worst way an annex of an enemy base can go wrong is all of them escaping and regrouping- it's like capturing flies…"

Alice Rais, a senior V.I.N.E. coordinator and ex-strategy captain to the Lupo Famiglia's infamous Cacciatrici, proved to be more capable than her appearances let on. Though really, Reborn should have been able to tell from her eyes that she had history with the Lupo, literally meaning 'wolf', with that gleam of alertness about them. The straight-edged hair should have been a giveaway to her own professional efficiency as well.

As Alice drew up and explained a plan that Reborn already understood and found more than acceptable, he chuckled. "How did a Huntress like you end up joining the V.I.N.E.?"

The brunette stopped abruptly in the middle of drawing a line. She didn't move from her position for a few moments, before retracting her arms and putting down the pencil, folding her hands on her lap.

"This wolf got tired of meat."

Reborn figured it was a sensitive subject.

There was a silence between the two, as Tsuna and the Guardians yelled and chatted on in the background. Hibari had long left, and the topic of conversation at that moment was whether or not they should stay in the Disciplinary Office without him there.

Then of course, Seiji re-entered the room, handing out drinks, and set a mug of espresso in front of Reborn in the most awkward manner ever, as said hitman grabbed an end of his scarf and sat the chef down practically on his lap before continuing to discuss the plan set out in front of him.

Alice barely coughed before continuing. Barely a moment later, Erminia latched onto her back for the umpteenth time that morning and wailed about her 'cute little nephew'.

Alice and Seiji shared a look, and were instantly friends.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 11:30AM_

Seiji tapped Reborn on the shoulder where he was lecturing Tsuna. He had been playing with Lambo, and the child had strangely attached himself to Seiji's pant leg.

"Hm?"

"I need to get back home and make lunch for the kids. Do you mind picking up the stuff from the gardening store on your way back? It opens later today."

Reborn nodded. He then looked at Lambo. "Oi, stupid cow. Let go of Seiji. He needs to go home."

"But I want to stay with Sei-san."

"Lambo."

"But-"

A tick mark appeared on the side of Reborn's head, and Lambo shrunk away from experience.

Seiji laughed. "It's fine. You can help me in the kitchen if you want, Lambo-kun."

The kid proceeded to turn all his cute on. "Hai!"

Reborn sighed. "If I go home and find that thing in the bed, I'm going to punt it across the river."

Seiji laughed, bidding goodbyes to the V.I.N.E. members and Tsuna and company before leaving.

Come to think of it, why had Seiji been there in the first place?

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Apartments, approximately 12:30PM_

Mukuro was at a loss with himself.

He had been since he realized that this was the first time that Chrome had achieved something he couldn't, power-wise.

He figured that he should be proud of her? Perhaps? Was that what he was meant to feel?

When the girl had explained to him just how she had been able to produce a flame nearing an ocean navy in color, the illusionist was in somewhat of a shock.

By the way she explained it; it meant that Mukuro would never be able to achieve flames like hers, without an impurity in sight. He wasn't exaggerating when he said that it had truly been like looking into a misty night, a deep, pure indigo with a slightly smoky-blue glow about it.

In short, Rokudo Mukuro, for once in his life, was stumped for what to do. His own vessel was holding more potential power in her hands than he was. Unused to the notion of having to respect her as an equal, instead of an underling, a pawn, or someone to protect, the illusionist had all but shut down, running on autopilot and honestly creeping Chrome out. Just a little.

He was idly mixing pizza dough batter at the counter, mind elsewhere as he floured the countertop and dumped out the dough to knead. He abruptly stopped when he remembered one person.

That happened to be in town.

Dropping what he was doing and removing his apron hastily, he let down his hair from the clip that he'd used to roughly pull it all back and yelled for Chikusa to take over lunch.

Mukuro wasn't sure if he would ever really be able to feel love, but was compassion close enough?

It was a fairly average temperature outside, but Mukuro felt himself heating up as he strode closer and closer to Aoshima's apartment block.

No, he didn't know what he was going to say, how he was going to say it, if the man would even be home at all.

But screw it.

Rokudo Mukuro never backed down from a challenge in power, be it in illusions or will.

When he did arrive at the apartment and rapped on the door before he lost his nerve, it was Alice who answered.

"Rokudo Mukuro? What business do-"

"Who's in at the moment?"

Alice blinked. "Myself and Lancia. Erminia's gone to visit the Yukimuras."

"Excellent," the illusionist said half-heartedly, politely pushing past her to enter the apartment.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 10PM_

Tsuna sat on the floor beside his bed and sighed.

It had been a productive day. Too productive, almost. They were going to invade the Asphodel the next day.

It would be Tsuna's first real involvement in the Asphodel feud. He was leading a raid into the enemy's lair, in hopes of capturing all present members.

After talking for so long in the Disciplinary Office that day, it sounded doable, but now that Tsuna had some time to think and mull on it slowly, he wasn't so sure.

It wasn't only that so many things could go wrong, it was that Tsuna had this eating dread in his stomach that something would. No, it wasn't a dread, because he felt like he _knew_ something, somehow, would go horribly wrong.

Just as he was deciding to call it off, standing to grab his phone off the desk, a blast shook the house.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Forest_

_Asphodel Hideout, approximately 10:30PM_

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing! We never agreed on this!"

Of all the times Felice had heard his mistress argue with the leader in Sicily, this had to be the most terrifying. Partly because he was actually right there in her office as she did it, and mostly because there was such a fury in her voice that if she hadn't had her vision impaired, Felice imagined that one glare from her in that state would send a grown hitman crying to their mother.

He heard the leader barking on the other end of the line, something about incompetence and need for action. It sounded like the campaign in Sicily was having more trouble than expected, and so the Japanese operation had to go full-force a lot earlier than anticipated.

"We are _right here_, sitting in the forest, and you have the goddamned nerve to fly _those _over the town? How big do you think it is? One stray splinter and we'll all go up in flames! We- No _you _listen to _me. _If you don't call it off right now, we are abandoning this post. This is _the_ most stupid thing you have done to date."

There was another short silence on Maria's end as there was more impatient ranting on the other end.

"What is the point in targeting such a small town anyway? It holds nothing of intere- Yes, I _know_ it's the Decimo's hometown, but even if you destroy his town that doesn't mean he won't- why? He has _seven_ Guardians. There is no way he will die from a simple- WILL YOU SHUT UP AND JUST CALL OFF THE DAMN PLANES ALREADY?"

Even Felice winced at that one. He distinctly heard the phone sneer 'Don't be such a brat' in a tone that suggested he was talking to children, before Maria hung up and stood, Felice immediately at her side.

"Gather them. We're leaving this post. There's no way I'm sitting here waiting for us to be accidentally barbecued."

As they made their way down the hallway, Felice guiding her by the elbow, she stopped abruptly.

"Send out precision drivers on all our available vehicles to clear the town. There will be no innocent deaths. No more to walk in these Fields of ours."

"Of course."

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori _

_Outskirts of town, approximately 11PM_

Suzume's eyes were filled with nothing but the fire.

The fire, the burning, the falling, the crashing.

Standing in a tree on the edge of town, Suzume was frozen stock still as she watched Namimori going up in flames, the town she had grown up in, known all her life.

The town that raised her, made her father happy, that was somewhere for her brothers to return to.

For some reason she had a small flashback to that one time she had been kidnapped by the Fortezza and had to listen to their ugly sneers, their hideous truths.

She was to protect the ones she loved most from the truth.

The planes flew slow and low, occasionally dropping out heavily-bound packages, shaking the earth itself when they landed.

Just like she was going to protect this town that they loved from destruction.

Come hell or high water.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Thank you to blizzard 10 for liking this thing ^^. Thank you to Furionknight for support as always. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for continuing to be one of my so so so valued consistent reviewers (I an so sorry for missing you in the last AN. That was unforgivable. T_T). Thank you to p. ageha, for ironically enough, making me cry happy tears. Thank you to lastwinter42 for the ever-appreciated Tsuna-pity ^^. Thank you to Chibi-Onee-chan for motivation to write. Thank you to xXxMentalPancakesxXx for, as always, the hilarious mental images, and also as usual, making me seriously think in between said hilarious images. (btw, do you SEE HOW LONG THAT THING IS? I JUST stopped getting that whole bloodrush kersplode thing! D: Thanks as always for spending so much time to type up your reviews, they're much appreciated. ^_^) Thank you to itachiluv for the praise. Undeserved, of course. Thank you to lord of the scrys for still reviewing the older chapters, and granting me the honour of being the last to fall in the event of world domination. This may sound strange, but I really appreciate it ^^. Thank you to for character feedback! I especially like this kind of feedback, because otherwise I don't know what kind of impression I'm making. Alice hasn't been fed back on before, so thanks. Thank you to Guest (sque-fangirl) for showing interest in this thing, though I don't know if you'll ever read this, and thank you finally to Rikkai and hyotei lover for still reviewing the chapters all the way back there. Though I don't know if you'll ever read this. O-o. And as always, a mention to Lunakatsuma for having been the first reviewer to this thing and having been there since the beginning.**

**-deep breath- -huff- Is it just me or is the rate of reviews slowly... creeping... up?... Anyhow, douzo, reader-samas, before I overthink and kersplode again.**

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Entotsu Apartments, approximately 11PM_

"Alice, status!"

Erminia's naturally loud voice carried easily over the din. People screaming, car alarms, children crying, bomber planes, buildings crashing, and among it all, three V.I.N.E. agents stationed at the top of an apartment building that was sturdier than it looked, surrounded by a sea of fire that could not yet fell it.

"I've shot down every one that exited the perimeter of the city, but they seem to have caught on and remain above the buildings. I can't take any more down without destroying more of the town."

"It's going to be destroyed anyway if you don't. Do it."

"Yes madam."

The brunette put her knee back on the ground, hefting her M20 onto her shoulder and resting it on the concrete balcony of the roof, as she looked through the eyepiece.

Tightening her grip in preparation for the recoil, she aimed and fired without hesitation, taking down another plane, in the same second reloading her weapon with the efficiency of someone all too familiar with warzones, such as Namimori being bombed simulated.

The M20 Rocket Launcher was also known as the Super Bazooka.

It also happened to be Alice's favorite weapon.

Lancia coughed in the background from the M20's exhaust, but didn't stop what he was doing, maintaining communications with the Vongola party as they ran around evacuating the town. It was getting harder and harder as things got more and more chaotic, but so far they seemed to be doing well in helping the civilians escape.

All three of them were in uniform- their uniform being fire retardant, woven with Kevlar, and containing in their pockets everything they needed. The only other thing they had taken before going to the roof was Alice's weaponry.

While being part of what was meant to be a passive information group, none of the three agents were strangers to the battlefield.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Suburbs, approximately 11PM_

"Get the children in the car; I'll wait with the grandparents for you to come back!"

When Giacobbe de Fiore joined the Asphodel Alliance along with the rest of the ex-Sapienti Famiglia, he had no idea just how big things were going to blow up, literally and figuratively.

In all honesty, he had thought that the group would just have been a small thorn in the side of the Vongola, maybe some graffiti here and there and some interruptions of small operations. What he had never seen coming was that the Asphodel had such an ambitious leader, and that in a mere couple of years the Alliance had grown exponentially in size and power, and eventually lead to where it was at that moment, burning down the Vongola Decimo's hometown.

Giacobbe himself, however, saw no justice being served in that move. The town was an easy target and an easy move, but served no purpose to their campaign or the point they were making. Were they not just harming multitudes of innocents for the purpose of punishing the few, the same as the Vongola had done to them?

Giacobbe was also fairly sure that the Decimo himself had actually been _pulled_ _into_ the Mafia himself, only a couple years before when Xanxus had re-emerged.

Did that not mean that the Decimo was innocent?

Giacobbe tensed his jaw slightly, a hand on the back of the elderly man beside him, who seemed rather calm for the situation, occasionally actually trying to comfort Giacobbe in slow Japanese, in a cheerful, relaxed tone. Either the man was senile and didn't understand what was going on, or he was a war veteran himself.

Once the van came around again, after dropping off the children in the forest where other Asphodel members were waiting with blankets and other comforts, Giacobbe gently helped the old couple up and shuffled alongside them to help them in. Luckily the fire hadn't spread to that particular part of town yet, and they were able to take their time.

As Giacobbe got in the van himself and they drove away, he looked out the back window at the glowing orange horizon with the velvet night sky for a backdrop. Slowly he put a hand to his face. He could only be thankful that their leader there, Maria, was levelheaded.

The young Italian man turned to the old Japanese elder, lowered his head, and said, quietly: "Sono così spiacente… così spiacente…"

Nothing could express his regret.

The old man smiled a grandfatherly smile, put a hand on the Italian's head, and said: "Shitte da. Kimi no sei janai."

And Giacobbe, seeing the understanding and forgiveness in this innocent man's eyes, almost cried for the first time since his Famiglia had been dissolved.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Suburbs, approximately 11PM_

Tsuna was angry.

There was no real word for it. When he looked back on that night later, even he would admit there were moments when he didn't know what came over him.

But he was angry.

So, so angry.

Being the only one able to fly, he was wasting no time in taking down the planes by the droves. Coating himself in pure Sky flames, his hands and feet cut through the tin can barbarians like butter, taking the broken parts afterward and hurling them into the ash-black night sky.

Small parachutes then filled the air like mushrooms emerging in a field of tiger lilies, the fire of Namimori licking at them carefully as they descended. Just as the Decimo was about to pursue them, he saw an explosion of something red and crackling to his left.

Lowering himself in the air, Tsuna snapped out of his red haze for a moment to stare in wonder at little, primary-school-aged Lambo gritting his teeth, armored in his Vongola Gear, and chasing down running Asphodel members with shots of red lightning.

"_Electricco Cornata!"_

That was an awfully deep voice for an eight-year-old.

Down in the din, Lambo similarly had very few thoughts on his mind.

The main one was that now, he knew where he got those red lightning bolts that the other Guardians sometimes mentioned about his future self.

The other was that he _had_ to find a time to properly thank Yukimura Seiji.

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori _

_Namimori Gakuen, 11:30PM_

Being almost exactly in the centre of town and having deep basements, Namigaku actually served as an excellent bomb shelter. Kusakabe had seen an evacuation team at work, apparently taking people out to a makeshift gathering point around the lake in the forest to the east, but there were many that weren't being picked up fast enough.

The Disciplinary Committee, as always, had been on call at the twitch of Kusakabe's finger, and were working to transport as many people as possible into Namigaku's basements, a large portion of which was the Detention Centre.

There were no Wardens or Suzume, but the prefects were eventually able to break into the chairman's office and turn the lights on fully, to reveal in actuality quite a vast hallway and spacious rooms. Some of the rooms were locked, and seeing that all of them were rooms with special names, Kusakabe forbid any locked rooms from being opened.

Kusakabe was sitting in Suzume's office, coordinating first-aid and relief efforts, taking glances at the clock ever so often. Where was Hibari?

"Fukuiinchou! You've got to come see this!"

"Hm?"

"You won't believe what's happening!"

Kusakabe got up and followed them out, exiting the Detention Centre.

When he reached the top, out the windows of the hallway was nothingness.

Well, not nothingness per se, but everything was white. It was like someone had replaced the image of the hellfire that had been all over Namimori just minutes before and replaced it with the image of heaven.

Not really believing his eyes, Kusakabe went outside and instantly shivered. Flakes of cold fluttered down around him, and he reached down to the whitened ground to discover that it was really snow.

It was snowing in August.

In Japan no less.

Any traces of the bomber planes had disappeared from the sky, which was swirled grey and white from snowflakes whipping around, constantly moving. Kusakabe winced as a blast of snowy wind hit his side, and he immediately went back inside.

"What the…"

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori Forest_

_Lake, approximately 11:30PM_

Maria cursed the unnatural snow. It had probably saved the town from utter destruction, but there were people she was trying to help that didn't need the extra factor at that moment.

Though the Namimori citizens didn't seem to mind the cold too much- the blankets and clothing Maria's group had provided seemed to be keeping them warm enough. Instead they marveled at the wonder of snow in the middle of summer, some of the more religious seeing it as a sign from a holier being. Many were kneeling at the edge of the lake and praying.

"Mister Felice! Mister Felice!"

"What is it, Gaspare?"

"One of the pregnant women- she's- she's going into labor!"

The dark-haired servant remained calm, Maria looking concerned beside him. "That is expected, with how far along some of these women are. Fetch Ambra or Anna, or both. They should know what to do."

"I can't find them! I think they're fetching supplied from the base, and this child is coming out _now!_"

Felice was silent, and then turned to look at Maria. "…My lady?"

It took her a moment to get what he was implying. "Felice, I'm blind."

"I will help you."

"This is not safe, I-"

"Did you not mention once that it's all about feel?"

"Miss Maria, please, she sounds like she is in a lot of pain!"

"…Dannazione, fine. Lead us to her."

* * *

_Thursday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 11:30PM_

When Hibari finally found Suzume, he found her sitting, dazed, in the middle of the roof.

Unconscious bodies in black uniforms were tangled among the safety fences and in the corners, as far from Suzume as they could get.

She was sitting in the empty centre of a flower of snow, fanning out in all directions around her. It was fairly obvious why the Asphodel bodies were so far from her. Snow was still falling however, and blurred the previously crisp lines and crests, pointing out to every corner of Namimori.

"Yukimura?"

It took her a few seconds to respond. "…Hibari?"

He strode straight through the snow without hesitation, leaving a streak of footsteps in the flower. He leaned down to look at her properly and found her eyelids dropping, spine barely holding her up.

With a grunt, he slung his fellow chairman over his shoulder, going back inside.

* * *

_Friday, Namimori Forest_

_Lake, approximately 12AM_

There was a great relief on the woman's face as her bundled-up child was put on her chest. Her short, brown hair was completely plastered to the sides of her face, her eyes hazy, face red, but she let everything out in a small, shaky coo at her little one.

"Thank you… thank you… so much."

Maria shook her head. "I am so sorry that I brought you out so far from medical help. It is my fault that this was such a painful birth."

"No…without you, there may not have been a birth at all..."

The snowfall had slowed, but the entire lakeside was painted in white. The new mother was bundled up in as many blankets as could be spared, and her eyes drooped a little as she tried to ask Maria her name.

"My name? Maria. My name is Maria."

"Maria… but this is a boy…" the woman said with a slight tone of sadness. With a tone of distraction, she then said "Look at all this pretty snow… my little boy will never believe that he was a snow baby…"

Her husband, at her side, looked thoughtful. "Honey… what about something like Yuki for a name? So we'll never forget this day."

She laughed. "I think this is memorable enough as it is… but it's a good idea… Yuki… Yukio… Yukita… Yukimitsu…" she saw a child making snowballs and tilted her head a bit. "Yuki…maru?"

"Yukimaru?" her husband laughed. "Well, now that I think about it, it's not that bad. Our cute little son, the snowball."

"It has the 'mar' sound like our lovely Maria-san. His name will be Yukimaru," she decided.

Maria and Felice, listening to all this unfold, caught themselves smiling, if only a little bit.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 6AM_

Suzume's eyes fluttered open wearily, closing them again when she saw doubles of her ceiling.

After a moment, she opened them again and tried to remember what had happened last.

Namimori on fire came rushing back to her, a dread gripping her stomach with each passing second before she realized that if she was in her own room, in her own house, then that must mean at least some of the town had survived.

Then she remembered watching Asphodel members parachute from their destroyed planes, and running after them when they landed. The fight took them to Namigaku's highest roof, and then…

"Itai…"

At her side a silver-headed figure leapt up. "Suzume!"

"…Kiyoshi?"

"You're awake!" He tackled her like a little kid welcoming their father home from work, talking at mach speed three and hugging her tighter and tighter with each word.

"Kiyo…shi!"

He let go abruptly. "Sorry." There was a moment of silence, before the silver-head grasped her shoulders again.

"What were you thinking! The first time you use your flames, and you try to change the _weather?"_

"I didn't- wait, what?"

Aoshima's anger died down a bit as he saw the genuine confusion in her eyes. "Suzume. You cast a massive amount of your Dying Will Flames into the sky and created a snowstorm in the middle of summer."

Her expression changed from confused to concerned. "Kiyoshi, are you okay? How many fingers am I holding-"

Aoshima grabbed her hand with a huff and put his other hand to his face. "How can I explain this to you so you'll understand?"

"I think you lost me at 'Dying Will Flames'. I thought we were still working on-"

Kiyoshi had interrupted her with a burst of light from his own hand, three primary colors dancing about each other, the resulting flame constantly pulsing from the opposite attributes pushing and pulling at each other with no in-between buffers like Seiji's flames had. While Seiji's types were consecutive in the flame spectrum, Aoshima's were all opposite to each other. His flame had fascinated the pasta chef for hours.

"When did you do that?..."

He took Suzume's hand and clapped his flame-lit one to hers, making her retract her arm in alarm, before she took a double-take at her palm.

"…I don't remember this ever happening before."

Suzume's hand lit in a mix of blue and purple, a rather calm and docile flame compared to Aoshima's, which he had to put out before the energy needed drained him.

The silver-haired boy pointed out Suzume's own types for her. "Here's Tranquility. Propagation. Construction. Seiji-san said that you must have put a huge amount of this mix into the sky to have made it snow."

Seeing that she was still unconvinced, Aoshima sighed and went up to the curtains blocking off the door to the balcony, and whipped them open.

Everything outside was still white. The snow had fallen for a night and a day and another night, only having ended that morning, probably when there was no moisture left in the air in the entire region.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

Aoshima shook his head, folding his arms across his chest.

"I thought we were in the middle of the summer holidays? Your birthday passed not long ago, didn't it? August first?"

Aoshima nodded. "Now that you mention it, yeah, it did. Well, look at what you did to summer, Suzume."

"…Sorry?"

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori Forest _

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 6:15AM_

"Suzu, you're awake," Seiji said pleasantly, cooking breakfast.

"Suzume?" Shou poked his head in.

"SUZUME!"

The girl was promptly felled onto the stairs as a bundle of redheaded sobbing covered in cats knocked into her.

"…Ani?"

Shin just as promptly stood and helped Suzume up, coughing, brushing off some cats from his shoulders. "Don't ever do something so irresponsible again."

"I agree with Shin, Suzume. You're lucky that Hibari-kun found you before you got hypothermia," Seiji scolded lightly.

Though there was no real reprimand in his voice- he himself had experienced blacking out from flame use far too many times to count, and knew it was just part of the learning process. That, and he was secretly quite proud of his daughter for doing what the Vongola Guardians couldn't.

"…How's… Namimori?"

"They're well on their way to a complete recovery. The Midori Boys' kaichou is also heir to the Orsini Famiglia and Alliance, and joined the Vongola side after… the fire. The parts of town worst damaged were mainly the older houses further in town, and the commercial suburbs. Closer to our house, the forest burned down a bit, but we stopped it in time. The vegetable garden's ruined, but nothing needs to be rebuilt."

Shin pinched a piece of toast from the plates and said "In simple words, nothing is too permanent. With a fresh coat of paint, everything will be as good as new." He stood straight suddenly. "Oh, I smell a job. I wonder how Sawada Tsunayoshi pays his labor men," Shin mused as he walked out the front door.

The rest of the Yukimura family barely gave his strange exit a glance before digging into breakfast.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Suburbs, approximately 12PM_

"Good… right there- that's good!"

Tsuna didn't know where these sudden volunteers had come from, but he was glad for them. They claimed to be of a Famiglia sympathetic to the Vongola that just happened to be nearby when they heard the news, but Tsuna's Hyper Intuition said otherwise.

But his intuition also told him not to worry about it for now, so he was simply happy for the help. Getting materials had been the easy part- with the Namimori citizens not being expert carpenters, it was the manpower that had been lacking, even with help from the Orsini Alliance.

Considering the situation, Namimori's population had responded in a quite docile manner. Most brushed it off as an accidental fly-over, or a mistake by other warring nations. It just made Tsuna all the more guilty when he realized that the entirety of Namimori itself was so much like his mother- caring, accepting, and most of all, forgiving.

"Ano… Gaspare-san, was it?"

"Yes, Mister Decimo?"

"Is your Boss around? I really want to thank them for your help."

The man was suddenly more nervous than he was before.

"Ah… um. I don't know where she is at the moment, but I can ask for you."

Tsuna smiled. "Thank you."

Gaspare was dazzled for a moment before he hurried off.

Just after Gaspare went off, another volunteer worker approached Tsuna.

"So you are the Decimo." He said this with a strange weight that Tsuna couldn't quite put his finger on. "My name is Giacobbe de Fiore. I must offer my utmost regrets on your hometown."

Tsuna tried his best to smile and nod, but when he couldn't do it, he just nodded. "Thank you."

"The people that did this are monsters. Through and through. They deserve no better than eternal punishment."

To Giacobbe's surprise, Tsuna shook his head.

"I thought that too, Giacobbe-san. I was so angry when it happened, I…" Tsuna squeezed his eyes shut.

"But I must always remember that they are people. They have their reasons for doing this, and it was my partly fault for dragging my town into it… I think I sort of understand now, even. These people had had everything taken away from them, and… I just know that if I had lost Namimori that night, I wouldn't be able to live, let alone strike back."

Was that just the Japanese sensibility or the Decimo's true feelings?

Either way, Giacobbe was floored.

"De-Decimo…"

That was it. Giacobbe had decided. He needed to talk to Maria, to Felice.

"I think things will start looking up from here, Decimo. No, I promise they will."

Tsuna smiled, and the ex-Asphodel man felt his heart being torn to pieces.


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Thank you to Furionknight for the support. Thank you to lastwinter42 to giving me the image of Suzume... pfft. Thank you to itachiluv18 for undeserved pwaise (^/ / /^). Thank you to blizzard 10 for angry!Tsuna love. p. ageha., I swear you're turning into one of those reviewers trying to kill me after each chapter. (I love you too. And anyone who takes the time to leave reviews. Or even read this thing. Or even click on this thing. I LOVE YOU ALL! T_T) xXxMentalPancakesxXx- first Shin the crazy cat lady and now Shin the sassy whooop-ass janitor. I think I died. XD. (So. Many. Images. Pff. Namigaku harlem shake? PRICELESS). Thank you to Chibi-Onee-chan for the motivation to write! (And I mean it every time I say this. I'll be sitting there with a blank screen, go back and read reviews like yours, and then start writing almost immediately.) Thank you to Kanako Arichi for the non-kersploding wishes. (Also, the Arcobaleno-level sun flame thing got me thinking. Thanks as always. ^^). Thank you to Niko for making me blush terribly. Oh, great, the heart condition's coming back. TT-TT. And finally, thank you to YamadaHikari for reviewing a past chapter, though I don't really know when you'll read this thanks. (This seems to be happening a lot a lately. o-o). And finally, a mention to Lunakatsuma, the epic first reviewer of this thing!**

**Speaking of this thing, here's more of it. I'm so sorry. The metal pipe is always lying around somewhere primed for writer-abuse, so douzo, reader-samas. **

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 1PM_

"I can't think of where to begin, Fujiwara-san. This is such a great help."

The other looked like he was about to say something, then simply smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about it too much, Vongola Decimo."

"Aha, I still can't get used to you calling me that. You should have said so that you found out, though!"

The two were strolling through Namigaku's square-plot gardens, square seed beds contained in wooden frames with concrete in between, for people to walk through. Most of their plant life was destroyed, if not by fire then by ice. The only plants that really survived were a few of the tougher vegetables, though singed, and a patch or two of cactuses.

"What did you grow here, Sawada-kaichou?"

"Ah- we had a lot of different types of plants and flowers. It was really amazing. Our Environmental Committee have a bit of an affinity with the earth, you see…" Tsuna laughed.

Fujiwara's eyes widened slightly, his carefully composed amused expression falling off like a snakeskin.

Was that the first time he had seen Sawada Tsunayoshi smile?

He racked through his memories. That first meeting in the restaurant? No, he hadn't smiled once. After that… the battle at Ouran? Of course not…

Who was he kidding? He would surely remember if he had seen a smile or heard a laugh like the one he had just witnessed.

"Fujiwara-san?"

The Orsini heir blinked as he realized that he was several steps behind where the Vongola Tenth was standing, having turned to peer at him with concern. "Is there something wrong?"

"…No. Nothing wrong. At all."

Since when- since when was simply lifting one's cheeks so powerful?

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 1PM_

Reborn winced internally as the door shut with a click barely audible to the average ear.

To him, it sounded like a gunshot.

A white trench coat turned to face him, half of its face tucked into an equally white scarf.

The roof still had pools of water around the edges, and small chunks of snow here and there. The knocked-out Asphodel members had been taken into custody, but as of then no one had yet mopped up the rest of the aftermath.

"What brings you here?" Seiji said curiously, loosening his chin from his scarf.

"No particular reason…" Reborn raised an eyebrow at his coat.

Seiji shrugged. "They're working all over town. Keeps the dust and dirt off my clothes."

"You and I both know that that coat is spotless."

"Exactly."

Reborn sighed, adjusting the angle of his fedora. He looked out onto Namimori alongside Seiji.

Workers were indeed all over, taking down parts of buildings burnt beyond repair and replacing them, or painting over scorch marks, or replacing metal braces warped as a result of the sudden transition between hot and cold that had occurred.

"How many times have we seen this scene?" Seiji muttered quietly.

"Too many times to count," Reborn replied. "Only usually, more of it is our fault."

Seiji turned to the hitman. "Did you fight?"

Reborn wanted to answer that no, he hadn't and it had all been his students' work, but he nodded. "A bit."

After a moment, Seiji spoke. "It's not like you to get attached." His voice held a curious tone.

"It also wasn't like you to have children." Reborn replied.

"Mn."

They didn't say anything else while up there. Simply watched.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori _

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 3PM_

Yamamoto breathed out a harsh breath, wiping the sweat out of his eyes.

He couldn't believe himself sometimes. And not in the good way.

His _town_ had been threatened.

He looked at his palm. It lit with rippling aqua blue flames, too familiar.

And _still_, nothing had happened.

He was somewhere in the forest behind the baseball safety fence, in a very small clearing with minimal light.

He didn't want to be seen the way he was.

"…Takeshi-nii?"

But of course, nothing ever went as planned.

He turned to smile at his fellow Guardian. "Yo, Lambo! What are you doing out here?"

"I dunno. I was chasing a squirrel and ran into you."

The slightest of sweat-drops formed on the back of Yamamoto's head. "Ahaha. Did you see which way it went?"

Lambo shook his head. "Doesn't matter. What are _you_ doing? Lighting up your flames so repeatedly?"

The smile dropped ever so slightly. "…You saw that?"

Lambo took off his jacket and folded it neatly on the ground to sit on. He evidently wasn't planning on going anywhere. "Having trouble, Take-nii?"

"Ahah, what makes you think-" he stopped abruptly. Lambo looked at him in the same way Suzume had in that same forest, what seemed like an age ago.

"Yeah. A little. Tsuna says that it's all about the people you love. Just thinking about who he wanted to protect, with a little push, he was able to produce…" the baseball player could think up no words at that moment to describe Tsuna's molten gold flames.

"Hmn," Lambo mused. "Bakadera said something about that as well when he asked me if I had gotten my pure flames yet. He actually says a lot of things that he doesn't want you to hear if you just wait long enough. But you know, Take-nii, there's a secret."

Yamamoto looked at the child sharply. "What?"

"It's true that lighting super awesome flames is all about love and caring about people." Lambo stood and smiled at Yamamoto and stood up. "But I have even cooler flames than Bakadera now because Seiji-san taught me a secret. You have to remember that you're a 'people' too. You have to learn to love yourself."

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 5PM_

The timing of the disaster had actually been ironically convenient, as Seiji had been intending on teaching the Wardens something through gardening anyway. While they worked in his garden, he himself sat at the kitchen countertop, pulling candy under a heat lamp.

"…Your hobbies are endless, aren't they?" Reborn muttered from the dining table, idly exchanging conversation with Alice of the V.I.N.E. and Kamiyama of the Orsini Alliance via text messages. They were discussing how best to track down the Asphodel Alliance- the post that they had so painstakingly located had been found empty. The cowardly bastards.

Seiji didn't reply for a while. "We missed Kiyoshi's birthday while so busy training. Tino loved my candy sculptures."

Reborn didn't ask further, simply nodding. He had noticed the chef putting together a chocolate sponge earlier. Now he knew what it was for.

They two continued in amiable silence for a while, before Reborn spoke in an amused tone.

"Seiji, what do you suggest I tell these good people when they are suggesting that I use my Activation factor to dry out the rest of the leftover snow slush?"

Seiji made a small amused puff through his nose. "Ask them if they have enough funds to re-paint everything once you're done. Not to mention treating the blindness, the heart-attacks, the forests growing through the pavement…"

Reborn smirked. "That last one only happened _once_ in Bulgaria, but you're never going to let it go, are you?"

"Remember the forest of bent trees in Poland? You know people are _still_ wondering what happened there, right?"

Reborn chuckled, typing a reply to Alice as he did so. "We made an interesting team, no?"

"Mn," Seiji mused, setting aside a finished white candy bird, something resembling a crane taking off. He switched off the heat lamp, and shed the gloves.

Sauntering over to the dining table, he sat across from Reborn. Watched him send a final text and set his phone aside.

The two stared at each other for a while, before Seiji said- "You're in love, aren't you?"

Reborn blinked, fighting the urge to splutter. "I'm what?"

"With this place. These people. You've fallen head over heels for this kind little town."

There was more silence, before Reborn tilted his fedora down. Though it had about as much effect towards Seiji as Seiji turning his face from him hid his feelings from Reborn.

"Yes, I'm afraid I have."

The other laughed. "I don't blame you. I have too."

"Then why-"

"-Did I do nothing during the bombing?" he finished softly. He looked at Reborn with sorrow, but also a tendril of a deep darkness behind his eyes. "I couldn't."

The children were _not_ to be scarred for life.

Not quite yet.

Reborn leaned back in his chair, sighing. "One would never peg you as one with a temper with your quiet manner, but then they hear about things like the Winter Massacre and the Gagliardi War…"

"You know, I've found myself to be yelling and shouting a lot more as of late. I wonder if that's a sign of my decline."

Reborn raised an eyebrow.

"Seiji?"

"Hn?"

The hitman casually balled up a receipt from his pocket and lit it on fire with a spark of Activation, and chucked it at him. "Catch."

The fire was put out before it was even a hand span from the chef, dropping suddenly to the table with a cushion of cold air.

The hitman nodded. "That's what I thought."

Seiji laughed.

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori_

_Entotsu Apartments, approximately 6PM_

"Dinner's ready!"

Chrome's voice rang out like a soft bell throughout the apartment, and one by one doors opened.

Namimori Apartments had burnt down. The Kokuyo gang hadn't had anything too important in it, as it was a second home, so it wasn't too heavy a loss. They had been planning to go back to Kokuyo, but Tsuna wanted his Mist Guardians to stay in Namimori. So stay they did.

"Ah, that smells so good! You're even better than Alice!" Erminia exclaimed, approaching the kitchen counter and staring at the hot calzone with aprkling eyes, moon-shaped dough filled with cheeses and other Italian delights served up on mismatched plates.

Alice herself took no offense, simply thanking Chrome, taking a plate, and sitting down on the couch, setting her food on the coffee table in front of her.

Ken and Chikusa were already eating, sitting on the floor by the couch, plates on their knees.

Mukuro and Lancia were yet nowhere to be seen, but that didn't alarm too many. They'd been fighting since the Kokuyo gang had moved in- Aoshima's apartment was completely untouched by the disaster, and Tsuna had too many people staying at his house as it was. Erminia had suggested it, blatantly ignoring Lancia's protests, and so dysfunctional family met dysfunctional family.

Erminia and Alice took up Aoshima's old room. Ken and Chikusa had wanted the living room, but Lancia already slept there so they settled for the laundry room. Chrome got the bathroom, and had plenty of towels and blankets to line the bathtub with for the night- as the smallest of the seven of them she was the only one that would fit comfortably. And Mukuro…

Well, according to Erminia he could have the living room floor, but in response Lancia had said he could sleep on the balcony. It really depended on who won the fight they were having at that moment.

Suddenly, Chrome straightened and yelled "Don't even think about it! Aoshima-san's being nice enough as it is lending us his apartment! Make a _single dent_ and I'm giving you to Yukimura-san!"

A few minutes later, Mukuro was dropped _gently_ onto the balcony, where his impact could do no harm. Lancia leapt down from above and used him as a landing cushion before opening the sliding door and entering the apartment, locking it after him.

With the illusionist curled up in a ball of pain, arm reaching up to claw at the door, Alice looked immensely amused. Chrome looked slightly worried, but did nothing. Chikusa held Ken back from leaping at Lancia.

Lancia calmly took his dinner and sat on the couch next to Erminia and Alice.

The brunette frowned and seemed to almost be sniffing at something before she stood abruptly, bristling, and turning to Lancia.

"Get out of him."

Lancia blinked, chuckling, and the Mukuro outside, on the balcony, disappeared. A familiar red iris was seen in the V.I.N.E. member.

"Well spotted, little she-wolf."

Lancia then clutched his head and started cursing lightly, Mukuro appearing in mist beside him.

"You will never be a match for me."

"Is there no way to make you understand!"

The room silenced. All eyes were on Lancia and Mukuro.

"Everything I loved… every_one_ I loved… do you even know what love is? Do you know what it means to return home, and find such unconditional warmth?"

"Unconditional?" Mukuro shook his head. Chrome saw anger in his eyes. "I was a fool to come to you, weakling. Chrome may be able to get stronger from being fed these lies, but ultimately true strength is built on a _real_ foundation. There is no such thing as unconditional love. All love is conditional. Would you still love your parents if they abused you? Would you love your so-called friends if they abandoned you?"

Mukuro turned his gaze to the other V.I.N.E. members. "Would you still love a woman if she were cruel to you? Would you love a man if he were a murderer?"

Mukuro paced to Lancia, and buried his fist in his shirt. "I have lived six lives, and experienced this world in a time before you were even a single cell, before the idea of 'you' was even conceived. And every damn time I make stupid mistakes _like_ you. I saved you from the inevitable ugliness of the world of the Mafia. Something you didn't understand at the time. And can you love me for it? _I saved you_ from the underworld itself, I plucked you from its sticky web, but do you love me? _Can you even fathom _to love me?"

Lancia closed his eyes tightly and didn't respond. Not even a twitch of a facial muscle.

Mukuro laughed drily. "Hah. That's what I thought."

* * *

_Saturday, Namimori _

_Abandoned warehouse, approximately 9PM_

Shin stared at the people around him. "Ready?"

Felice nodded, dialing with care and setting the phone on loudspeaker. The ringing set both Maria and Shin on edge. The former because what she was doing was unbelievably risky, and the latter because, to be honest, he had never been hired for such a strange job before.

Faking deaths, yes, but faking one over the _phone_? That was new.

Over the last several hours, starting from when Felice had identified him in the street and hired him, Shin had had to wrap his head around quite a lot. Long story short was that the Japanese Asphodel sector was going to be secretly switching sides, and Shin was going to help make that happen as smoothly as possible.

The idea was to tell their leader that everything was in chaos in Japan, and follow it up with Maria's faux-assassination. With his only commander taken out and the Japanese troops scattered, Maria was certain that their leader would give up on the Japanese campaign at least for a while. Long enough for the Asphodel to join forces with the Vongola and defeat him.

The line clicked through. "Pronto?"

Maria took a breath. "…It's me."

"Oh? And what do you have to say to me after abandoning your post?" the voice on the other end was condescending.

Maria sighed. She took the phone off Felice and held it up to her face, and lowered her voice. Though of course, both men present in the empty warehouse could still hear her loud and clear. They had chosen a warehouse exactly because the sound dynamics were excellent.

"I don't know how long we can hide, but the town is furious. You've incited the rage of some serious contenders, and they're all coming after us. We've scattered…" here Maria bit her lip and paused, as if truly hesitant about something.

"Where are you?"

"An abandoned warehouse, on a quieter side of town." That was Felice's cue. He started walking out, footsteps echoing in the vast space. "Felice? Where are you going?"

"We need supplies, my lady. I will be back as soon as I can."

"…Alright. Don't take too long... I have a bad feeling."

"I will be back before you know it."

Then there was the sound of the warehouse's side door opening and closing. Shin was very careful to be silent.

"…That Felice. I'm blind, and he still…" Maria still had the phone in her hand, the Asphodel leader on the other end. She muttered like that for a while before the next part of the plan came up.

There was a rustle of fabric as she straightened suddenly. "Who's there?"

Shin's cue. He took footsteps, soft at first, as if coming from a distant end of the warehouse, and louder as he got closer to Maria. "Well, it was about time that persistent butler left. I even purposefully stole from your supplies and it still took him so long to realize and go buy more."

"…Who-who are you?"

Shin had to admit the Asphodel girl was a good actress. He could almost smell the fear on her. "I am the last voice you will hear on this earth. A pity you can't see my face… and burn my eyes into your soul." The sound of a knife being unsheathed.

"Guns are far too loud for this setting… I will bleed you out instead… or perhaps I should be merciful, and just end it?" Shin came close to her, actually running the blunt knife edge along her neck. "Here?" He then trailed it down to her collarbone, right above her heart. "Or here?"

Maria dropped the phone. She didn't need to go very far to fake the fear. Who knew if she could trust this man, whose face she'd never seen, to do it properly? He could actually kill her, and not have to face any chance of the Asphodel resurfacing in Japan. She was suddenly all too aware that Felice had to actually wait outside so he could 'discover' her later.

What would he discover?

"Maria? Who is that?" the phone demanded.

Shin gave the phone an amused smirk, getting far too into character for Maria's comfort. "It seems we have an eavesdropper. How rude. I suppose I should destroy this phone… Or should I destroy you first?"

"_Who are you_!"

Shin laughed. He was getting way too into it, he told himself at the back of his mind.

"Me? My name is Autunno. Yukimura Autunno."

"…Shinichi? You're Yukimura Shinichi, aren't you?" The voice then sounded rather dazed for some reason. Like he couldn't believe what was happening.

Shin laughed again, rather maniacally, and roughly hit the blunt handle of the knife into Maria's neck, and she actually screamed much louder than she had intended. It had been real fear.

Shin decided to actually destroy the phone, for realism. It wasn't part of the plan- they had intended for Felice to then be heard 'finding' Maria's dead body, but the errand boy felt that crushing it would be much more impacting to the listener on the other end. And it also conveniently stopped the leader from re-contacting them later.

"STOP! Shinichi, stop! I beg you! Please, spare her! Maria... I'm so sorry, I never meant for it to turn out like this! I knew you'd be able to keep yourself safe, but this wasn't meant to happen!"

The voice was desperate.

A moment or so later, the phone was crushed, but not before Maria had been heard dropping to the floor, and the Asphodel leader had managed one phrase that shook the both of them.

Shin was still for a moment, crushed phone still under his feet, as he turned to face Maria, equally stunned, sprawled on the floor.

They could be sure that the leader knew Maria was 'dead'.

They had heard him crying. Softly, but crying nonetheless.

And in between his crying, they had heard him manage four words.

_'Shinichi, she's your sister.'_


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: Heh. Sorry. This'll be the second time I do something like this. But if they don't go here, they won't get another chance, so I present to you another collection of random unmentioned moments.**

**Thank you to Kanako Arichi for the sympathy for my heart. Though it's kinda ironic. ^^". Thank you to Furionknight as always. Thank you to lastwinter42 for the theorising- it's interesting to see what people think. Thank you to p. ageha for the sympathy for my life TT-TT. Thank you to Chibi-Onee-chan for more motivation (the real chapter's coming, I swear ). xXxMentalPancakes- I actually think that a heart-shaped pipe may be the best birthday present I could ever reseive. ^_^. **

**These moments can be taken as relavent to the plot as the reader-samas' decide. **

* * *

_Night before Tsuna and company returning to Japan_

As Aoshima finished his last song, he breathed a sigh. Shutting the lid carefully, he swung around on the piano bench to find Xanxus staring at him.

"…What?"

"You've improved."

The silver-head chuckled. "Of course."

He walked around to sit on the floor near Xanxus's seat, then proceeding to lie down and stare at the ceiling.

"…Sticking around, are we?"

"Mhm."

They didn't talk after that, Xanxus just continuing to curse occasionally as he did his paperwork.

"Brat. If you're going to stay and annoy me then at least do something productive." The Varia boss dropped a large stack of paper and a spare pen on Aoshima's form with barely a glance, making the latter exclaim in surprise.

"…Still the same, huh, boss? I feel like you haven't aged a day."

Xanxus gave Aoshima a sharp look, telling him to drop whatever subject he was about to get onto, and turned back to his paperwork.

Silence.

"Hey boss, you remember when I was little and I liked to cling onto your leg a lot?"

A twitch of Xanxus's left eye confirmed that yes; he did remember walking around with a midget Superbia attached to his leg, on several occasions even accompanying him out on missions like that. It gave him a clue as to why the kid's arms were so strong- he must have really built some muscle with clinging so tightly twenty-four seven.

"Yeah, why?"

Aoshima's voice softened as he reminisced. "I remember I felt really safe there, under your cloak."

The boss furrowed his eyebrows and looked down at the silver-headed boy sitting on the carpet, going through his paperwork with ridiculous efficiency.

The boy didn't stop doing paperwork as he continued, voice much meeker and more hesitant than it had been a few minutes ago."I just wanted you to know that I've never felt the same anywhere else. So… thank you. For not kicking me out of the Varia mansion the moment you saw me."

Xanxus didn't hesitate to snort. "I regret that decision up to today. I should have never even let you enter in the first place. Now I'm stuck with you as an unofficial member forever."

Aoshima smiled slowly, tilting his chin down and slowing in his work.

The boss was saying that he was always welcome in the Varia.

Out of nowhere, Xanxus found the teenage version of the Superbia brat clinging to his leg, holding on so tightly that for a brief moment the former wondered if the boy was trying to take off his leg from the knee.

"What the- Get off me! You're fully grown!"

Very quietly, the Superbia brat looked up at him and said, in a mouse's voice, "Thank you."

* * *

_Night before Tenth Generation's return to Japan, later in the night_

"Never have I ever accidentally blown up my own war base."

"Hibari! That was _one_ practice mission! _ONE!_" Gokudera glared after a quick shot of sake.

Tsuna barely needed to react when all of the Varia drank.

He had left Lambo out of the farewell party because he knew it would get crazy, but this was ridiculous. The party had been intended for the Guardians and the Varia to have some final 'bonding' time while they could before the Tenth generation left for Namimori. But it had gotten quite… out of hand.

Squalo and Yamamoto were having a one-sided argument in one corner, both able to hold their liquor quite well. Ryohei and Levi were passed out beside them because their ability to handle liquor was the exact opposite.

Lussuria was forcing Belphegor to do an awkward parody of the waltz with him, to music only the mother hen could hear, with Mukuro and Hibari watching, amused, nearby, both with flushed faces from a surprising disagreement with alcohol that both had, which was ironic for Mukuro being the one who had suggested drinking games in the first place.

Chrome had gotten out of drinking sake because Tsuna didn't think it was safe for her to get drunk among so many men, but also because with Mukuro fuzzy she had to hold most of her internal organs in place with her own focus. Out of the two, one of them had to stay sober to keep her alive, and she didn't complain when Tsuna suggested it.

Tsuna had his hands full with an amorous Gokudera, the light flush on the Italian's face showing almost nothing of how much he had drunk that night. Tsuna suspected that he had consumed the most sake out of them all. Tsuna himself had a surprisingly good grip on himself even when intoxicated, but still it was only his Hyper Intuition that let him figure out that Yamamoto must have gotten the wrong bottle of 'non-alcoholic beverage' when he saw Xanxus having a conversation with Fran about unicorns.

The brunet suddenly realized why Aoshima and Suzume had both kept out of the way of the party.

"Right! It's my turn! Never have I ever kissed Jyuudaime!"

"Uh… Gokudera-kun, you have. About fifteen seconds ago."

"Oh. Then… Never have I ever… uh… damn, what haven't I done… Tried to kill the Jyuudaime!"

Tsuna sweat-dropped. "Actually, Gokudera-kun, you've done that as well."

"Oh. That's awkward. Never have I ever… Kissed Mukuro!"

Tsuna's sweat-drop reappeared. "Who _would_ have?"

With a smirk, the flushed Mukuro tipped a shot of sake into his mouth, and then kissed the equally flushed Hibari on the lips, forcing the alcohol down his throat. The carnivore growled and lunged at the illusionist with his tonfas.

Only to fall asleep in his enemy's lap.

"Aww, the little skylark drank himself under the table."

"What table? I thought Squalo destroyed the table an hour back," Xanxus said gruffly, nodding to the remains of said table out the window.

Mukuro giggled. He _giggled_. "Well, either way, he's in my lap, and looking absolutely, adorably hammered."

Tsuna shivered. In his inebriated state, he was saying more of the things he usually kept in his head out loud. "I swear every time you laugh, Mukuro, a puppy cries."

"I'll be your puppy, Jyuudaime!"

"Hush, Gokudera-kun. You've had too much," the Decimo said kindly, calming the silver-headed bomber back onto his lap.

"Call me Hayato. Ha-ya-to, goshujin-sama."

"Haha, he's so drunk he's starting to make up new nicknames for Tsuna," Yamamoto laughed.

"Urusai, Ta-ke-shi. I can call the Jyuudaime anything he wants me to." But his face was substantially redder.

"Shishishi… Whose idea was it to drink again?" Belphegor said as he finally managed to pry Lussuria off him.

"Mine," Mukuro said in a sing-song voice. "Aren't I just a genius, failed-prince-kun?"

Belphegor's fingers twitched and he instantly had four knives in each hand. But then he thought of a better idea.

"Never have I ever kissed Sawada Tsunayoshi."

Chrome went scarlet and sipped at her orange juice quietly. Gokudera sat up and downed another shot with glee only to land right back in Tsuna's lap afterward.

Though since Tsuna had officially accepted the position of Vongola the Tenth, all of the highest-ranking Vongola had kissed his hand or cheek before, Belphegor only happening to have been sick the week of the unofficial celebration. So everyone in the room save Belphegor and Tsuna himself had to drink.

"Voii, Belphegor… Never have I ever caused enough damage to a building for the report to use the phrase 'blown to kingdom come'."

Belphegor frowned- no, almost _pouted_ as he took his shot. Unsurprisingly, Lussuria, Ryohei, Gokudera and Xanxus all had to drink as well.

"How any of this a good seeing-off?" Gokudera said in a moment of lucidity. "All we're doing is drinking while underage and passing out. Is there any real benefit from this?"

"Look at it like this. The closer you become to your comrades, the easier you'll be able to predict the kind of decisions they'll make and plans they think of. In battle, this kind of understanding of each other can come in very handy. Trust me."

"Aa… WAIT! DINO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?"

The Cavallone smirked. "What tutor would miss out on the opportunity to see his pupil drunk? Though you, Tsuna, actually hold your liquor relatively well, which is a shame."

"…So you've just been watching us make fools of ourselves for the last two hours for your own amusement?"

"Maa, na."

"Well? Are we on the right track?"

"To teenage alcoholism? Absolutely."

"You know what I mean! Building bonds! ...And stuff."

"Maa, you have the right idea, but try to incorporate less inebriation next time."

"…YES! We finally did something right for a change!"

* * *

_When Hibari burnt the hot chocolate_

"I don't... understand. How did you get it to light on _fire_?"

Hibari looked down at his shoes and shrugged. "I tried?..."

Suzume sighed. She set the saucepan in the sink and filled it with water, before turning on all the range hoods to get the smell out, muttering the whole time that Hibari's cooking denied the laws of physics. "Please, just sit over there for a while."

To her surprise, he complied.

That would have to take getting used to.

"By the way, who taught you to cook?"

Hibari gave her a soft glare. Knowing his story now, she should have realised that was a cruel question to ask.

"...Sorry."

A moment of silence between the two passed as Suzume cooked.

"So, how do you like your eggs?"

After a moment, he relented, and answered. "Over easy."

* * *

_More of Seiji and Reborn's reminiscing_

"England! London! The third time in London! That was _hilarious!_" Seiji laughed, forehead in his hand, elbow on the table.

"_You_ were the one so bored that you decided to mess with the guards," Reborn shook his head, smiling nonetheless. "But what about France? We've had so many escapades in France."

"You mean the whole vegetable knife thing in Paris?"

"Working at a street stall for a week undercover?"

"The old lady in Lyon?"

"What about the time you froze over a beach in Marseilles?"

"That was on purpose!"

"Nonetheless, it was amusing," Reborn finished.

Seiji suddenly thought of something. "Madrid, Spain. The bullfight."

Reborn groaned and put a hand to his face. "I thought we agreed to never talk about that again!"

"But you made _such _a dashing matador!"

* * *

_Aoshima's late birthday party_

The cake was frosted to resemble fire, which probably wasn't appropriate considering recent events, but Seiji insisted. The white candy bird was identified to be an egret, taking off from the centre of the cake, surrounded by licks of fire. The bird had been painted with sugar, with grey streaks and decorated with clumps of sugar resembling ash. When Aoshima saw it, he stopped for a full minute before thanking Seiji.

Suzume had figured that the decorations had meaning when her father had insisted on it, and it turned out she was right. She assumed it had something to do with Kiyoshi's parents- his mother had been known as the White Egret, wasn't it?

When Aoshima had seen the image, Seiji's implications were clear. The chef had obviously discovered that he had lit his flames, and had only one message for him-

'Rise from their ashes.'


	38. Chapter 38

**A/N: Thank you to Pseudonymous Soul for crying without suing me for it ^^". Thank you to Furionkinght for the support. Thank you to Kanako Arichi for the image of Seiji playing Queer Eye for the Straight Guy with Reborn XD. Thank you to miss Lunakatsuma for your diligence as always! It makes me tear up a little. -sniff-. (Less than three. TTATT). Thank you so much to p. ageha. for a compliment that made me roll around on the floor a little, squeaking incoherently. (Okay, that was a little exaggerated. I rolled around on my bed, hugging a pillow, HRE style. ^^"). Thank you to blizzard 10 for giving me the image of Hibari beating Mukuro senseless- oh, wait, that's canon. o-o. Thank you to Chibi-Onee-chan for motivation! xXxMentalPancakesxXx, I don't even know where to begin (as always) but just please know that you are amazing for coming up with Seiji in a dress from Reborn as a matador. Epic imagination right there. (Your reviews make my WEEK far too often than is healthy. ^_^). Thank you to itachluv18 for the nice comment (^^). Thank you to charm13insomnia for making me go back and read my own chapters again just to see what caused your reactions. (Reborn getting soft- I died a bit). Thank you to lastwinter42 for the Hibari-empathy. (I have concluded that there is no such thing as Hibari-pity. It just doesn't work.)**

**Douzo, rea- wait. Give me a moment... TEN! Ten for c. 37. I WAS RIGHT. THE RATES OF REVIEWS _ARE_ GOING UP. D: I used to average seven... ****-kerploosh-**

**...Reader-samas, any of you know an easy way to get stains out of carpet?...**

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Forest_

_Random plateau, approximately 12AM_

Mukuro kicked lightly at the scorch marks on the plateau, wondering briefly what had caused them before recognizing the distinct pattern of Storm flame burns. It seemed Gokudera had spent some time on that cliff-ringed rock, training.

Leaning on his trident, Mukuro sighed. He looked up at the moon, not quite full, hanging lopsidedly, a lazy lamp in the sky. The stars were sparse but bright, the sky perhaps appearing darker than usual. Mukuro blamed Yukimura Suzume's recent weather stunt.

Panning his eyes across the forest, the illusionist took in the scent of silence. It smelled like still water and warm air, but not so warm that there would be mosquitoes or flies. There was also still a strange tinge of winter in the soft summer breeze, as if the brief bout of snow had left an imprint behind on the atmosphere.

Mukuro's eyes stopped when he spotted a flash of color somewhere in the trees. He became very still, controlling his breathing, eyes darting about.

There, again, in the bushes by the lake. Mukuro very carefully sat down on the plateau as he sensed someone breaking out of the bushes.

He saw an unsteady mix of reddish flames, with occasional sparks.

Mukuro's lips lifted at the ends. Perfect.

He disassembled himself and wandered down to the lakeside as a tendril of mist, following a certain magenta-eyed redhead as she went for a midnight stroll.

It seemed little ol' Sleet had some sleep issues as well.

"Boo."

Immediately Mukuro's face was met with a streak of angry red flames, the fist within them knocking him back a few meters.

"Oh. It's just you."

It was like she didn't even attempt to feign surprise anymore.

Massaging his nose cautiously, Mukuro straightened from his sprawl-eagle on the ground, facing Ichinose Sayaka with his usual charming grin. "It must be the fates themselves, Saya-chan, pushing us to meet so often."

"_I_ am residing in a house nearby. _You_ are choosing the strangest places to frequent at the strangest times."

"I will take that as a compliment."

She sighed and turned to walk away, not intending on spending any more time in his presence.

Mukuro smirked. He, on the other hand, had time to spare.

He fell into step with her, deliberately staring at her as she deliberately avoided his gaze. They walked around the lake, making pointless conversation.

"What _are_ you doing out so late? No respectable lady should be out alone at this hour."

Sayaka sighed. "I doubt I qualify as a respectable lady."

"So then what are you?"

She shrugged. "A commoner? A peasant?"

"A street lady of the night?" Mukuro offered.

Sayaka raised an eyebrow tiredly, but then said- "If I'm a whore, then what are you?"

"…A paying customer."

Bam. A Storm-wrapped fist sent him straight into the lake. He entered with a graceful splash, resurfacing almost immediately.

"Well, I see you've gotten stronger. Who would've guessed that you have the Storm attribute, with your _esteemed_ ladylike disposition?" Mukuro drawled, arms behind his head as he gently kicked himself along the lake surface, keeping in pace with Sayaka.

"Though I would like to make the observation that you seemed less offended by the idea of being a whore and more at the idea that I would be interested in your services," he added lightly. Of course there was no real intent or meaning behind his words. It was just fun to watch her jaw tighten and those eyes flash.

In reply to his comment about her flames, she lit hers to show a mix of red, indigo and green. In regard to his other observation, she said nothing for a few seconds.

The wavering, spark-filled flames lit the way as she continued to stroll around the lake, almost halfway around by that point.

"I could hardly be so against the idea of that kind of profession. I would have never been born if it weren't for it."

Sayaka watched Mukuro's face for a moment as that processed.

...Oh.

Seeming to be pleased with finally shutting Mukuro up, Sayaka hummed lightly as she walked. To Mukuro's chagrin, it was Namigaku's anthem.

The illusionist did his best to push that most recent revelation out of his head, instead turning his attention to her flames. They weren't pure like Tsunayoshi's or Gokudera's but they were a sight nonetheless- he could tell from one look that it was a combination of multiple flames beyond even Gokudera's ability, who was the most flexible in flame types. Mukuro had more than a hunch that she was training with Reborn and Seiji, so perhaps she knew some secrets…?

"Sayaka, did you not say once that you could tell my bloodthirst from my eyes?"

"I don't believe that those were my exact words, but more or less, yes."

Mukuro got out of the water, the redhead indifferently lending a hand when he reached for her, and resumed his pace alongside her, occasionally picking at his wet clothes. "Can you tell me more?"

"…About your bloodthirstiness? Look, Rokudo, you know better than anyone just-"

"No, not that," he waved off. "I know full well I'm a morally absent bastard that has no qualms about blood and guts. Trust me, I've had six lifetimes to figure that one out."

To Sayaka's credit, she didn't look the least bit concerned about any of that.

"But can you tell, me, Sleet, if I am wrong in saying that 'love' is conditional?"

Had Seiji been teaching them similar things? If so, were the ideas the same?

To his surprise, the redhead laughed. Truly laughed, not the kind of put-on laugh where one tries to appear knowledgeable and sophisticated. She fully understood his question, and knew the answer all too well.

Sayaka shook her head, still smiling. "Love is the most conditional thing of all. Anyone who says otherwise is simply being naive or misled."

Expression doubtful, the illusionist asked "But do you not love Yukimura Suzume and Aoshima Kiyoshi? They are more to you than your parents, are they not?"

"I would not think of that as love."

"…Well?"

Sayaka shrugged. "Respect, loyalty, admiration- they have fulfilled the conditions to earn those and more. But 'love' is quite different. More likely than not, I will never 'love' anyone in this lifetime or the next."

Mukuro nodded, and approved of this with a few chuckles. "Now, if only all you little humans could understand that."

Sayaka looked back at him with a curious eyebrow. "And what are you?"

"Humans, like all other living things, are to be born, live, and then die." Mukuro turned to look at her with a small, eerie smile. "I was a human _once_, in my fifth life, when I erased my previous memories upon birth in order to attain the power of the Fifth Realm. I will never be human again."

Sayaka blinked and nodded. Mukuro's eyes betrayed his surprise at the simple reaction.

"Do you understand what I've been implying?"

"What, that you've lived six lives?"

He blinked. "And?..."

"My only real reaction to that is admiration. Once through life is enough for me, I could never imagine coming back to go through all of this again, let alone six more times," the Warden shrugged.

Mukuro had to keep staring at her for a moment. She was completely serious, and turned to return his gaze to confirm so.

After a couple seconds, Mukuro blinked and rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the afterimages of her magenta irises.

He heard her exhale in a little puff, smugly. No doubt she was smirking at her victory.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 7AM_

Suzume felt uneasy. Sat at the dining table between Shou and Kiyoshi, the Wardens spread out about the dining room, the youngest Yukimura felt a sensation that something had gone horribly wrong.

"Oh, morning, Shin," Seiji said cheerfully, not bothering to ask his eldest boy where he had been the night before.

And though the Yukimura patriarch knew something was wrong the moment Shin opened the glass sliding door and let himself into the house, he said nothing.

Suzume turned to greet her brother as well, before stopping in her tracks.

She saw it, in his eyes. In the way he held himself, like he was no longer sure the earth was stable anymore.

For a brief moment Suzume realized how she must have looked to Kiyoshi that day.

Then she promptly tackled her brother back out the door, slamming it shut behind her, and dragging him off.

Reborn, just entering the kitchen from the stairway, raised an eyebrow.

"What did I miss?"

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Ootori Hospital, approximately 10AM_

Tsuna exited the doors with a knit brow of concern.

A fancy embossed piece of card was tucked loosely into his left hand, his fingers playing with it absently as he pondered the situation.

Ootori Kyouya had left town, and left the Asphodel prisoners he had in the basement in Tsuna's care. There had been no explanation, nothing but the expensive-looking bronze-embossed card, with his name and details, and on the back, one short message that worried Tsuna even more than his actual departure.

'Don't worry; I'm not leaving you alone.'

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Park, approximately 12PM_

Suzume sat down on the bench heavily, hand buried in her hair, covering her face.

She was very still for a moment before letting out a strange mix of a groan and a scream in frustration, before laying herself down lengthways across the bench, arm shielding her eyes from the sun.

And then something fist-sized and solid landed on her stomach with a great impact. Irritated, she grabbed it and threw it back over the bench with quite some force.

"Thanks! Sorry for hitting you!"

...It was then that Suzume realized she'd just been hit by a baseball.

Sitting up, she looked over in disbelief to the sheepishly waving Yamamoto, an apathetic Lambo a little way behind him with a baseball glove on, matching the taller Guardian.

"Oh, Yukimura-san! What are you doing here?" Yamamoto's smile twitched just a bit when he realized she wasn't in her usual tolerant mood.

Standing from the bench, the Yukimura stalked off into the park's forest. After a moment of hesitation, concern on his mind, Yamamoto stripped of his baseball glove and followed after her.

"Yukimura-san?"

"...Please, I'm not in the mood to play games with you, Yamamoto."

He found her hunched up under a bush, knees to her face, short black hair shaggier than usual.

He sat down beside her, prompting her to shuffle over so there was enough ground space for both of them under the bush, and tucked his knees up as well, though with his considerable advantage in height he couldn't exactly tuck into a neat little ball like Suzume could.

He didn't say or ask anything, simply sat there and tried to breathe as quietly as he could. Suzume didn't seem to mind that, and so sat there with her own thoughts.

It could've been hours or seconds before she spoke, and Yamamoto wouldn't have been able to tell the difference. But she spoke to him eventually- that was what counted.

"Yamamoto. Your father… was involved in 'cosa nostra' in the past, right?"

He blinked. "What do you mean by 'cosa nostra'? Which 'our thing'?"

She sighed, though in a considerably calmer manner than she had been huffing before. "Our world." When Yamamoto continued to stare at her blankly, she put a palm to her face.

"The Mafia."

"Oh!..." the Rain Guardian's expression softened a little, staring at the ground in front of him, drawing little circles in the dirt with his heel. "I think so… yeah."

"And your mother was… I mean, because of…"

"Yeah."

The girl sighed, this time out of true fatigue. She pulled her knees closer to obscure half her face.

"How is it I've never realized how similar we are?"

Yamamoto made a surprised sound. "We… oh. Ahahah, I guess we are!"

Suzume turned her head, resting her cheek on her knee to watch him laugh awkwardly, hand behind his head. It made her wonder what it might have been like to deal with things his way- laughing them off, throwing himself into other things, never giving himself or anyone else even a second to ponder about his life.

"Yamamoto." His attention was gained. "If you found out something about..." she paused, and then rephrased. "If you found out something that would that would change _everything_…"

Yamamoto patiently waited for her to continue.

"…Would you tell anyone?"

"Are you asking if I'll tell anyone what you're telling me, or if I would tell anyone about a secret that would change everything?"

"The latter."

The baseball player shrugged, blue hoodie constantly getting tangled in the bush as he shifted about a little as he thought about it. "It would really depend on what it is. It might be important that it gets out in the open, but if it's really that bad… but I think that no matter what it was, I would tell at least tell my old man," Yamamoto concluded. "Especially if it should matter to him, then I would tell him. I don't keep secrets from him."

Suzume nodded, frowning, but in a contemplative way. "But what if it didn't only concern your father? What if it… how do I say this- What if it wasn't really your secret to tell?"

At this the boy did something he very rarely did- he frowned as well, and furrowed his eyebrows slightly.

"Yukimura-san, this isn't a hypothetical situation, right?"

"…I thought that that was rather obvious."

"Well, do you trust your father?"

This took the Yukimura by surprise. "Of course I trust him, he raised me."

"Then you could trust him with your worries, couldn't you? Instead of talking to me in the park under a bush, you should be talking to Seiji-san about this."

As if only just realizing where she was, Suzume blinked and then got up, dusting herself off. Yamamoto followed suit.

"Thank you anyway," she muttered as she picked a leaf out of her hair. "You shouldn't keep Lambo-kun waiting; he's probably wandered off by now." She returned to her regular, composed and slightly mother-hen self.

Yamamoto smiled. Fishing a pen out of his pocket, he grabbed her hand and scribbled a row of numbers onto it.

"Wait- Don't I already have your contact information? You're in the Council."

"Only my home phone. This way you can call any time you want."

Oddly touched by his gesture, Suzume nodded. "Thanks again." Then she peered around his arm and raised an eyebrow. "Is that Lambo-kun being offered candy by that old man?"

Yamamoto turned and they both froze as the man started leading the little boy off.

"LAMBO!"

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Cemetery, approximately 1PM_

Suzume sighed and stuffed her hands into her hoodie pockets. Actually, she wasn't quite sure if it was _her_ hoodie, it might've been Kiyoshi's. But that was an irrelevant detail.

What was relevant was that as she passed the town cemetery, as she had on countless other occasions, she saw Hibari Kyouya.

Backtrack.

She saw Hibari Kyouya placing croquettes on a plate in front of a grave.

Deciding it wasn't appropriate to disturb him, Suzume walked on.

Just because she now knew why Hibari lived alone, why he had been so furious in his own quiet way on the night his precious Namimori was burned, and indeed _why_ the town was so precious to him, didn't mean that she had to make a point of it.

She threw up her hood and walked on, and wondered what Hibari Keiko would think of this whole mess.

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Abandoned warehouse, approximately 5PM_

Shinichi didn't know for sure what had brought him back to the Asphodel settlement.

All he knew was that he wanted to know more. He wanted to know what Suzume knew, he wanted to know what had made her drag him out of the house and give him such a long tirade telling him to _never_ let his father know, _ever._

...About _what _though?

He was sure that Maria Gatti would lead him in the right direction. Because if the Asphodel boss hadn't been bluffing, she was his older sister.

But when he saw her again, sitting on a towel and talking with a couple of other people about some sort of strategy, Shin realized that he had no way of knowing for sure that she wasn't, aside from a blood test. Which he was considering more and more seriously.

"…Miss Maria?"

"…Yukimura Shinichi, aren't you? What are you doing here?"

He bit his lip lightly, eyes glancing at the others present. Felice, by Maria's side as always, sent them off. "Please, sit," he said smoothly, though watching Shin's every move.

Shin sat, and almost immediately one of his cats escaped his coat through his collar and climbed to sit on his head. He chuckled nervously at Felice's raised eyebrow.

"Is that not one of the kittens that went missing after your rescue of the Vongola Storm Squad back in Sicily?"

"….Maybe?"

"Yukimura. State your purposes," Maria said.

"Right." He saw that she was impatient to cut to the chase. "Well, I'll cut to the chase. Do you think your boss was bluffing when he said that you're my sister?"

Maria paused. And instead of giving a straight answer, she seemed to seriously consider it.

"It wouldn't be impossible. I'm a bastard child who just happened to be raised by the Gatti, so in reality I don't know who my parents are."

Shin took a moment to appreciate how easily she had just stated that she was a bastard child of the Mafia. It was never an easy thing to admit to anyone, no matter how much you trusted them, and here Maria was spouting it all to him.

Granted, she technically hadn't been Mafia since her Family had been dissolved, but that was a _technical_ detail.

"…The Gatti boss even made me wear these blue contacts so that I couldn't be recognized by possible parents. I was raised as a child of the Famiglia, so I could serve it."

Shin nodded, and then he furrowed his eyebrows. "Contacts… you're wearing them right now, aren't you?" Her eyes were the main reason that Shin had been so doubtful. But if they weren't actually blue…

Maria blinked her faux blue eyes. "It's become habit. I've been wearing them since I could walk. Do you want me to take them off?"

"Please."

While Maria got out a small plastic case from her jacket and carefully tried to take her contacts out, unable to see what she was doing, she continued talking to Shin.

"I think I remember vaguely that I have brown eyes… I'm not sure, because somewhere in my teens Felice was assigned to me, and he was always the one to help me put these in… I guess now that I'm supposedly 'dead', taking these off might actually be a smarter choice…"

Eventually Felice bent down and carefully removed them for her, smiling in a knowing way.

After a couple moments, Shin's froze at her brilliant yellow irises. They were much brighter than his or even his father's, which was confusing.

"…Yukimura? Is everything alright?" After a couple of moments of silence, she reached over and felt for where his leg was, shaking it lightly.

"Sorry… your eyes…"

"Oh." A pause. "What color are they?"

"Yellow. Bright, bright yellow."

Maria blinked, her lamp-like eyes consuming all of Shin's attention.

"Well, that's unexpected… Argh, if only you hadn't hit me on the head so hard at your house, then I could take a look myself!" she threw her arms into the air, sighing.

"Am I supposed to say sorry? You _were_ invading my home."

Maria put a palm to her face. "If we really are siblings, then we must have the most twisted-arse strings of fate in history."

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Sawada Residence, approximately 5PM_

At his dinner table, Tsuna felt a tickle in the back of his nose, and promptly sneezed.

While recovering, his cell phone rang. With a raised eyebrow, he picked it up and was almost afraid of who it was. It turned out that he had a right to be, because it was Ootori Kyouya.

"Sawada. Get out of Namimori. _Now_."


	39. Chapter 39

**A/N: I... don't even have an excuse.**

**Thank you to to charm13insomnia for making me laugh with Lambo and the candy. Thank you blizzard 10 for waiting. (For so long... Dun worry, I'm gonna go bash my head on a wall after this). Thank you to Soul Vrazy for for asking- um, read and see? ^^". xXxMentalPancakesxXx, you crack me up as always. (I always have to steel myself before reading your reviews in an attempt to prevent myself becoming a puddle of laughter and joy on the floor.) Thank you to Chibi-Onee-chan for picking up on my bad habit. (Eheh. ^_^"). Thank you to Furionknight for the support. Thank you to itachiluv18 for the motivation, thought I still took this long... (Or maybe the doorframe instead... That'd make a better sound...). Thank you to p. ageha for joining my recent blushfest. And a special mention to miss Lunakatsuma, because one never really forgets their first reviewer. ^^.**

**Douzo, reader-samas. Meanwhile I must go find a nearby doorframe to bash my head in on. This one here will do. -bam...bang...bang...-**

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 5:30PM_

Shizuka shifted from foot to foot, nervously, as she reached up to knock on the door and failed each time.

She had considered visiting Seiji and Suzume ever since the Sapore Nostra burnt down, sometimes even getting as far as their driveway, but each time her nerves had failed her. What would she say? What was she _supposed_ to say?

And then with all the chaos and Namimori being in danger, the Japanese woman had simply been too busy to visit.

But now she was there, right in front of their door. All she had to do was knock, wait, and then smile at whichever one of the Yukimuras opened the door. She would keep a cheery disposition and make sure not to stay too long.

She had to be careful that it wasn't painfully obvious that she missed being able to see Seiji every day.

"Hello?"

Shizuka blinked. "Shou-kun!"

"Shizuka-san?"

The woman threw her arms around the boy, laughing. "How long have you been in Namimori? I thought you were still in university!"

Shou laughed as well, hand reaching up to the back of his head. "Yeah, I'm taking a bit of a break. Do you want to come in?"

"Oh, sure!"

Shou lead her into the tatami-floored living room, where Seiji, Reborn, Kiyoshi, and Suzume were sitting around the coffee table, chatting quietly. A spot on the floor beside Kiyoshi was empty, and Shou sat down and moved the silver-head and Suzume across a bit so Shizuka could fit.

"Shizuka," Seiji said amiably. "What brings you here?"

Shizuka bit her lip for half a moment before smiling. "I just hadn't seen you or Suzume-chan for so long since the restaurant… closed, and I thought I might pay you a visit to make sure you aren't drowning in laundry," she joked. "Though I guess with Shou-kun around, I shouldn't have bothered."

Shizuka noticed that the man sitting beside Seiji was the same one that had recently been eating at the kitchen counter of the restaurant, the one that the chef seemed to light up when talking to, despite said man's shadowy disposition. The woman felt a strange need to impress this stranger, though she suppressed the urge, knowing it was childish.

Seiji saw Shizuka looking at Reborn. "Ah, I've been rude. Shizuka, this is Reborn. Reborn, this is Miyamoto Shizuka. She worked with me to run the restaurant."

Reborn tipped his hat a bit, nodding, while Shizuka found herself bowing a little. Somehow, she felt like she had lost a point. A point for what, she didn't know.

"So… Reborn-san, how do you know Seiji-san?"

The two men blinked, looked at each other, and then seemed to internally burst into laughter. Seiji shook his head as he chuckled.

Reborn cleared his throat. "How do I know him? I know him very well."

Shizuka laughed a little. "So, you've been friends for a very long time, then?"

Seiji paused, and the shrugged. "I guess."

Reborn cleared his throat. "Friends?"

"Comrades," Seiji adjusted. Though he coughed.

Shizuka felt like there was something that everyone else knew that she didn't. Even Suzume looked somewhat amused.

"Shizuka and I have known each other for a substantial amount of time as well, ne, Shizuka?"

"Ah- yes. Since the Sapore Nostra opened. Over twenty years ago, now. I started working part-time with Seiji-san when I was sixteen, and never left."

One all. The score was evened.

"Mn. Reborn and I have been out of contact until recently, so you wouldn't have met him."

"Oh… you mean you knew him before me?"

"Quite a while before you, actually," Seiji nodded, noticing from the corner of his eye that Reborn was shifting across the couch a bit, getting closer to him.

"Wow, and you stayed out of contact for twenty years?"

"Twenty-seven," Reborn corrected out of habit. He made up for it by tilting his fedora down and sitting back, leading Seiji to absentmindedly do the same.

The movement didn't escape Shizuka's attention. She chose to turn her attention to Suzume then, asking her about how she felt living in a house of men and all that other general chatter the two usually shared.

Meanwhile, Kiyoshi and Shou shared amused looks as Reborn threw an arm around Seiji, pulling him closer.

Kiyoshi's attention was diverted, however, as Suzume's phone rang. Seeing she was talking to Shizuka, he picked it up and answered, wandering out of earshot. But then Shizuka was distracted as well.

"Ano… Reborn-san, are you sure that is appropriate? Seiji-san usually doesn't like to be so…"

Reborn raised an eyebrow at Shizuka, gesturing for her to continue, while Seiji was practically in his lap, the hitman resting his chin lightly on the top of his head. Everything about the position just screamed "_Mine."_

"…So openly… affectionate?"

"…Reborn, you're not usually one for displays of affection either," Seiji mused. "This isn't something that happens often," he assured Shizuka. She didn't look convinced.

"Suzume. We've got to go. Kaichou's calling an emergency meeting- he mentioned war," Kiyoshi ended grimly.

"Should we get the kids from the forest?"

"No, they'll be fine. Reborn-san?" Both the Detention Committee chairmen turned to look at him.

The hitman shook his head. "Tsuna would call me if he wanted me there." Then he smiled a bit. "He's growing up."

Seiji put a hand on the arm that was around his shoulders, murmuring something.

"Alright then, let's go."

After Suzume and Kiyoshi left, shutting the front door with a click, the living room was silent. Shizuka looked from Reborn, to Seiji, and then to Shou.

"What's wrong? What's just happened?"

Shou smiled gently.

Sometimes it was easy to forget, when life felt peaceful, that some of the people around you were not part of your world.

"Come one, Shizuka-san, I'll show you the garden."

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 6PM_

The Student Office was overflowing with chatter, angry, calm, and agitated all at once, making Tsuna throw his hands over his ears and yell "STOP!"

The room silenced. Tsuna walked through to its centre, where Erminia, Hibari, Kiyoshi, and Gokudera had been arguing rather heatedly.

"Continue," he said quietly, sitting down next to Hibari.

Gokudera immediately rounded on Erminia again. "You're meant to be the best information network in the world, aren't you? _Why_ didn't you know this sooner! Sooner than Ootori, at least!"

Erminia turned to him with equal spitfire. "Ootori Kyouya happens to be one of our Japanese contacts. The fact that he told the Decimo of the predicament before relaying to us is a special case. Though we didn't control it, _he_ did the right thing."

"Telling Jyuudaime to leave Namimori? As if! You're asking us to back down like cowards!"

Kiyoshi put a hand to his forehead.

"You have no idea what you're up against! After all this time, do you _still_ not understand the magnitude of the Asphodel Alliance?"

By this point the two were staring. Erminia's stare was hard.

"This is no place for children."

Gokudera was silent for a moment.

"How… HOW DARE YOU!"

Before anyone knew what was happening, the two silver-heads were grappling on the floor.

"After all we've been through- all we've accomplished- all this responsibility we've taken- YOU DARE TO CALL US CHILDREN!"

Tsuna noticed Kiyoshi's hand leave his forehead.

"_Stop it_! The both of you!" His voice was unusually rough. It startled Tsuna.

He turned to face them, frozen still in their grappling position on the floor. "Gokudera, you claim to be more than a child, yet you act like nothing but one."

To Erminia, Kiyoshi gave nothing but a weak glare, trimmed with the slightest hints of disdain.

"If we would like to calm down and come to a decision, that would be best for all of us."

Erminia looked wounded, but continued anyway. "I say that the Vongola Tenth needs to leave Namimori. You will undoubtedly meet the Asphodel on a war front at some point, but this is not a war front. This is an annex."

"Who says we'll let Namimori be taken over by those Asphodel goons!" Gokudera exclaimed, and then with a look from Tsuna, he calmed down a bit. "I think we will be able to defend Namimori. We can _make_ it a war front, whether they like it or not."

Hibari spoke up. "We should be able to keep them out of Namimori altogether. Create a front in the nearby forests and mountains."

Gokudera nodded. "That too."

Kiyoshi thought carefully before he spoke. "While that is possible, I must remind you all that we are at a severe disadvantage. Even if we know they are coming, how do you plan to gather enough forces to hold off what is undoubtedly over a thousand-strong army in the few days we have?" He looked around to make sure his words were getting through, and not just being taken the wrong way like Erminia's were.

"The tactically sensible option is to prepare for battle here, but move our greatest assets- the Vongola Tenth Generation- away to meet the Asphodel on a more favorable battlefield. But of course, I understand that you will be reluctant to do that." Kiyoshi aimed his last statement at Tsuna.

The small brunet didn't reply for a moment, but nodded slowly.

"…You want to prepare a front here, and fight for Namimori. For the town that raised you," a female voice said from behind Tsuna.

He knew it was Suzume, just from the way she sounded so sure of his thoughts.

"…Mn."

Erminia looked distraught. "Please, think about this more rationally." She looked to Tsuna.

The silver-haired woman seemed to consider something for a moment, and then let it out.

"Decimo, I must tell you a secret. Your true inheritance ceremony was due to be in less than a week's time from now, but with the Vongola plagued by the Asphodel, there hasn't been time to prepare anything…" her voice became uncharacteristically imploring. "Decimo, Timoteo is weak."

Suzume frowned as she noticed Tsuna's head angling lower.

"The poison from that time has left aftereffects on his body, and he has already written up the papers to pass everything to you." She bit her lip and moved forward on the couch. "There is no other choice. If something happens to both you and Timoteo, as is likely in this war with the Asphodel, Vongola will fall. We _cannot _afford to take these risks."

At last, Tsuna's eyes were obscured by his hair.

He was stone still.

There was a long silence, before he said "Okay."

...And then nothing.

Hibari stood and had a look on his face that shocked everyone. He had never looked like that towards Tsuna before, not even back when the Decimo was just a 'small animal'.

"You disappoint me, herbivore."

Tsuna couldn't look up from the ground. "Sorry, Kyouya-san," he choked out.

"_I_ will never leave Namimori to be razed," Hibari stated, much to Gokudera's agitation.

"You think any of us would? Do you even understand the decision Jyuudaime's having to make here?"

Hibari's eyes leveled with Gokudera's, and he said, quietly-

"This town is worth more than my life."

The entire room silenced as he walked out, Suzume looking at his back.

At the door, he made the mistake of turning slightly, letting the Yukimura catch his eye.

She asked for permission.

...He granted it with an angry flutter of his jacket.

"What is _with_ him and Namimori?" Gokudera muttered angrily.

Suzume smiled softly and sat down where her fellow prefect had been moments before.

"Let me tell you a story."

* * *

_Thursday morning before night of Namimori bombing, Namimori_

_Hibari Residence, approximately 2AM_

Suzume didn't dare sit down. It felt like she was somehow intruding on a sacred space.

Hibari turned an irritated eye up at her from his position at the table. "Sit."

She sat.

"…Why did you bring me here? ...To your home."

Hibari looked at her for a moment, before sighing. "I'm going to get changed into more comfortable clothes. Take the time to relax until I come back."

He left with a silent turn into the hallway, feet barely making a sound on the tatami flooring. Suzume, dressed in a hoodie and sweatpants, relaxed from the proper seiza position she had been sitting in and looked around the room.

It was sparsely furnished, but the things strewn around more than made up for it. While there was only a table in the middle of the room, surrounded by mats, and some shelving to the side, the floor was a sea of paperwork and random pieces of clothing. Most of said clothing was from the school uniform.

In the corner, a cardboard box had stacks of paper pressed right up to it, not an inch of floorspace wasted. When Suzume looked closer, she realized the box must have been for Hibird, with shredded newspaper and the occasional yellow feathers.

On the shelves were mostly books. Schoolbooks, novels, and what looked like a guide solely dedicated to cooking croquettes.

One tall shelf was, however, conspicuously emptier than the others. It was the one nearest the sliding doors leading outside.

The middle shelf held two small birds' nests, covered in small flowers, one on each side of a glass and chrome photo frame. In the frame was a young girl, perhaps seven or eight, smiling in delight at the camera, with a little sparrow on her finger. Around her neck was a pair of binoculars.

Suzume was only mildly surprised to find the binoculars, a photo album, and a notepad and pencil rested neatly on the shelf below the photo.

A chirping startled Suzume and she looked around the room for the source.

It was Hibird, fluttering in through a gap in the sliding door, not closed properly. He was carrying a little daisy in his beak, and Suzume watched in wonder as he landed on the middle shelf, next to the photo, and placed the flower in one of the nests.

As the yellow puffball then began to rifle in the nests for something, Hibari returned to the room, wearing a deep navy yukata, obviously well-worn. He sat at the table, patiently waiting for her to return as well.

As she sat, Hibari procured a stone bottle and a single matching cup to set on the table. Suzume suddenly felt like she was in some kind of olden day film, taking refuge in the home of a wise man on a dark and stormy night.

"He's picking out the dead flowers," Hibari nodded to Hibird, and Suzume barely had to turn and watch the bird toss away the little browned bits to confirm it. She didn't doubt his word.

The Yukimura noticed that in the midnight light, sitting in his lonely traditional home in traditional clothes, her fellow Namigaku chairman looked a lot older than he probably had any right to be. As he uncorked the bottle and she smelt sake, it just added to the tense atmosphere.

"Hibari…" she eyed the bottle as he poured himself a full cup and started downing it almost immediately. His strange behavior kind of worried her. A lot.

"I'm more than of legal age in Italy," was his response.

"No, not that. I thought you disliked alcohol."

"…I'm going to be honest with you," he confessed, second cup already in hand. "And to do that, I believe I need a certain level of inebriation."

Suzume's worry skyrocketed. She deftly took the cup from his hand, and moved the bottle away from him.

"I don't know whether to be flattered or offended, but in my experience getting drunk is never the answer," she sighed. "Unless you're my father or Reborn," she muttered under her breath.

He frowned, a flush already developing on his cheeks. "What do you know? I've never seen you touch a drop of alcohol."

Raising an eyebrow at him, she set down the cup and moved to put a hand on his forehead. She then sniffed the sake in the cup and frowned. "It's not even that strong, wha…"

"Shh. Shh. Hang on." Hibari whistled and Hibird came near. The puffball chirped.

"…I don't understand a single thing this damn bird is saying. Alright. I'm drunk enough."

"…From one cup?" Suzume muttered in disbelief. "And I thought Kiyoshi was a lightweight… But then again, he builds up resistance to drugs really quickly…"

"Oi. Listen to what I'm saying. I'm going to tell you a story."

Suzume politely quieted, hands in her lap, listening intently.

"I won't tell this twice, and by the time I've sobered up I probably won't remember much, so ask all the questions you want."

The girl was thoroughly fascinated by the concept of drunk Hibari. So fascinated that she almost missed the beginning of his story.

"…and we lived in Tokyo. My father was obsessed with his work, and my mother loved the high-class social scene. I practically raised Keiko on my own- the maids were only there to keep up appearances. Keiko had been sick before as an infant, she needed help with a lot of things. She had a weak body."

"Keiko… the girl in that photo, right?"

"Yes," he said, irritated at her for asking such an obvious question.

"…Your sister. You had a sister." As that dawned on Suzume, Hibari continued.

"But then, around when she was four, my father said that he had been transferred to a small town. Namimori. We moved here, and it was like a dream. We started afresh. Mother and Father actually looked happy together, and Keiko, Keiko was the happiest," he said with a sweet, albeit drunk, smile.

"She liked the wildlife here. How we were surrounded by the forest. We'd go out and sit with snacks in the woods, and she took up bird watching. Everything was perfect. So perfect," he half-sighed, in a strained, shaky way.

"Mother and Father eventually found themselves so in love again that they wanted to go on a trip together. We were left in the care of our neighbors, as they went to the ski mountains."

Suzume felt dread building in their stomach.

"They… they had an accident. Didn't they?"

Hibari suddenly shot up into a standing position. "It wasn't an _accident!" _he yelled. It was so unlike him that Suzume found herself thinking of drunk Hibari as a totally different person, and so she shuffled over to coax him to sit back down. His eyes were angry, and… wet.

"All those years had been _lies_. Father never got transferred. He'd been borrowing too much money, and his business sunk. We were running away from people that wanted to use us for things worse than death."

And then he laughed. Maniacally. Suzume found herself holding him down in a seated position with both her arms, hushing him.

"But death is what they got. They left me and Keiko alone. Keiko wasn't _strong_. She'd been sick before, and she was finally recovering, but one small asthma attack from the shock was all it took to put her back in hospital. That was _all_ it took for everything to go wrong."

Suzume rocked back and forth slightly, holding him tightly, tightly in her arms.

"The townspeople… sweet, kind, Namimori had tried so hard to save her. They raised funds, they begged doctors, they sent flowers and fruits and pictures of birds- do you know how much Namimori can love a single person?" he said, voice hoarse.

"But she found out. She found out about the loans and the lies and that it wasn't an accident. When she heard I was being targeted, do you know what that girl did?"

Suzume shook her head. She was feeling tears in her own eyes, and know no longer knew for whose benefit it was that she was holding her drunk fellow chairman so tightly.

His voice went very quiet, very soft.

"_Stay away from my onii-chan,"_ he whispered. "_I don't care if I'm sick, I'll stay with you, onii-chan." _

He let out a small, humorless chuckle. "_Onii-chan… I'll protect you, okay? We'll protect the things we love together._"

Suzume's arms relaxed slightly, only because she was losing strength. Tears flowed down her own cheeks, and when she did hold him tightly again, it was definitely for her own benefit.

"Why… why are you telling me this?"

His demeanor changed.

"…I need you on our side," he muttered, in a relatively sane manner. "I need you to feel like we're comrades. You're a hard egg to crack, Yukimura. Anything… _less_ than the truth wouldn't have done."

He lifted an arm to her back, apologizing in his own awkward way- because even inebriated; he wasn't too good with social interaction. "I know your skeletons, and you know mine."

They were quiet for a moment, the room mostly filled with the soft noises of Suzume wiping her tears away, thoroughly embarrassed.

"…Hibari?"

"Hn?"

...Did she dare say it?

"We'll protect it. We'll protect Namimori together."


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: Thank you to blizzard 10 for the anticipation of the next chapter, though... eheh. (I'm going to apologise in advance. I'm so sorry). Thank you to itachiluv 18 for the undeserved praise. T_T. Thank you to p. ageha for empatising with Shizuka. Thank you to Chibi-Onee-chan for the motivation. Thank you to Furionknight for the support. ^^. Thank you to charm13insomnia for looking forward to the chapter. (Again, dogeza in advance- orz.). O_O Miss Kanako Arichi! Please don't grovel, you'll make me grovel as well. T_T. It'll be a grovelfest. (And thanks as always for taking the time to leave a review ^^). Thank you to Tenshi-Oujosama for the blush-inducing prasie. (Undeserved! TT_TT). xXxMentalPancakesxXx, I happened to be eating when I read your review and pretty much choked a little before being able to continue reading. O-o. And then I started blushing. And then, as usual, I laughed my arse off at the hilarious mental images. Thank you for everything, as always. ^_^. Also, a mention to the beloved first-reviewer Lunakatsuma. (Thanks as always.)**

**Onwards, reader-samas. I love you guys. (How many times have I offered pipes or tomatoes now? ^^")**

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 7PM_

Kiyoshi was leaning lazily against the glass of the Student Office's meeting room, staring at his own reflection. It was too dark to see anything outside, with the room so brightly lit.

He was alone, the usually noisy room eerily quiet. The only sound heard was the silver-head's own breathing, though even that had to be strained for with normal ears.

"…Kiyoshi?"

The boy saw his aunt's reflection in the glass, as she closed the door to the meeting room behind her. Which was kind of redundant, seeing it was a _glass wall_, but it meant that she didn't want people listening in.

But it was redundant anyhow, as Kiyoshi knew for a fact that almost all the people that would be interested in their conversation knew how to read lips.

"Aunt?" he replied tiredly. It was the what-_ seventh _time that she was trying to have a heart-to-heart now?

"Kiyoshi, turn and look at me," she commanded.

He did so, but mostly because she had used her 'Superbia voice'. In Kiyoshi's experience, if you didn't obey the 'Superbia voice', you would end up being picked up by a sword through the shirt collar and carried off like baggage, your eardrums then suffering death by a Superbia-style scolding.

"…Do you agree with the Decimo's change of heart?"

At this the boy was surprised. So she was looking for a relevant conversation after all. It was a nice change.

"I don't need to agree. Suzume agrees, and that's good enough for me."

Erminia wrinkled her nose a little. "Why are you so insistent on following her, anyway?"

"I'm not following-"

"You are everywhere that she is. You do everything that she does. For heaven's sake, the number of times you two have shared a bed exceeds the number of seconds you and I have conversed your whole life!"

Kiyoshi was about to protest the last one, and then thought about it.

She was probably right.

"There is a difference in following and walking alongside," the younger sighed, as he sat down. Erminia took that as a cue to sit down across from him.

"Kiyoshi…"

Said boy winced at her softened, pleading tone. He hated that tone.

"I know I'm not doing a really good job, but I'm trying. I know so little about you, and you're my own nephew. That's not right. We're family, in the end."

There was an awkward silence between the two silver-heads as Kiyoshi looked at Erminia with an expression close to amusement, but not quite. It was something akin to the kind of look you give to a small child when it throws a tantrum about dropping its icecream.

"…So _now_ we're family," Kiyoshi nods, chuckling all the while. "Why are you so persistent, anyway? It's not like the Superbia line is lacking an heir. Squalo is going to be the first to be pressured to retiring from the Varia, and if he gets killed, there's still you. Not to mention the abundance of branch families _dying_ to have their children become the head of the c;an."

Erminia looked grieved. "Ki-yo-shi, it's not _about_ that-"

"Then what _is_ it?" he spat, flicking a few stray hairs from his face with a small toss of his head. "Fifteen years ago, none of you _legitimate_ Superbias would take me in. I wasn't _family_; I was a dirty little _bastard_ that was the shame of the main line."

Erminia shrunk a little at his outburst. "I couldn't do anything about that, I was only eighteen-"

"And Squalo was _nine_. _Nine_, Erminia. By normal standards, he wasn't even old enough to take care of _himself_, and he _still_ took me. I'm sure you know just how hard he fought to keep me."

The story was a well-kept secret in the Superbia family. Squalo, nine years old, son of Superbia Marzio and unquestionable favourite to be the next head of the prestigious clan, had left his father's side when little Kiyoshi had been brought in by men in black suits, and had sworn to raise the little brat until he could look after himself. Of course there was conflict. There was a lot of yelling and cursing, while the men that had brought Kiyoshi in left and Squalo held onto the little boy, barely able to stand, tighter and tighter.

Stuck with Kiyoshi, the family argued for a long, long night about what to do with him. Raise him as a servant, some suggested. Fork him off onto some random branch family to raise, suggested others. The Superbia clan was a bloodline, not a Famiglia. They didn't need to feel compassion towards a helpless little boy that happened to share some blood with them.

Squalo was the only one that made that mistake, and the one affected the most when the decision was made that the illegitimate child would be dying of an 'inevitable accident'. As a barely-one-year-old would, without a doubt, when left alone within the gates of the _Varia mansion_.

It was clean and plausible- one of the family members had business there anyway.

The result?

Nine-year-old Superbia Squalo charging into the Varia grounds with the determination of a bull, single-handedly keeping infant Kiyoshi safe from traps, animals, and most impressively, wandering Varia members, all with only one dinky blade. For a _fortnight straight._ Until the boss at that time, Tyr, had the two brought in for inspection. As force hadn't worked with Squalo around, they used an offer- If Squalo could be deemed useful, as Tyr suspected he could be, they would both be allowed to live in the mansion.

It had been a close vote. One vote, surprisingly enough from a rather nasty character known as the Ninth's son, was the one that tipped the scales in Squalo and Kiyoshi's favour.

Of course, it would only be some time after Squalo then defeated Tyr and became the second Sword Emperor that he really got to know who that mysterious boy, so close to Squalo's own remarkably young age, _was_, but that was another story. At that point, the Superbia had just been grateful that he didn't seem to mind looking after Kiyoshi when Squalo couldn't.

In the present, Kiyoshi deemed that Erminia had been given enough time to reflect on that little story, and chuckled, getting her to snap to attention.

"You ask why I stay with Suzume?" he said lightly, as if explaining something to a child. "After the Varia's… incident, and I was taken out of their custody, you _legitimate_ Superbias wanted me out of your sight more than ever. So Seiji-san took me in, after a long debate with various other people. And Suzume…"

Erminia realized too late that she couldn't save their relationship.

There wasn't one in the first place. Not compared to the ones he had.

"…Suzume, _five_ years old just like I was, reached out her hand to me and showed me what _family_ really is." He gave Erminia a hard glare.

"You and I are _not_ family."

* * *

_Sunday, Namimori_

_Namimori Gakuen, approximately 7:30PM_

Mukuro sat contentedly on the floor, back against the wall. He tore his eyes away from the direction of the glass-walled conference room as Erminia exited it in silence, expression beyond defeated.

It seemed that everyone had their own skeletons in the closet. Mukuro himself sure as hell did.

As did Lancia, Gokudera, Yamamoto, Hibari, Aoshima, heck, probably even _Lambo_ did. All had their lives touched by underworld ink, leaving the kind of stain that never washed out.

He could only imagine what it was like for Tsunayoshi. Especially in the middle of that particular war, when he was reminded so sorely that as a Boss, he would be staining so many others' lives. That so many lives were already soaked in blood by the inkwell he was inheriting and that more and more would get dragged in as he simply tried to live his life.

Mukuro looked over to where Tsuna was sitting in a similar position to him, curled up tightly in a ball, hands still in his hair. The Mist Guardian could practically _feel_ the rapid, chaotic thoughts running throught the boy's mind, escaping his strained skull in small wisps of anxiety and panic.

Mukuro smiled slightly in amusement as Tsuna literally leapt up in surprise when his cellphone rang, fumbling for it hurriedly before finding it in one of his pockets and answering.

The entire room went quiet, not _all_ eyes on him, as they knew that would make him uncomfortable, but the entire room paying rapt attention to his every word.

"Ootori- what? ...I know, I'm sorry, but I can't leave… You saw this coming? How- wait, what?"

There was a moment of silence as Ootori explained.

"…WHAT! HOW- WHY-" Tsuna spluttered like this for a good several seconds before settling down. "But how? They're huge- favours? …Nevermind, I don't want to know. So you're serious? They're actually- actually coming?"

The room gathered that it was good news, by the way Tsuna was crying and smiling at the same time.

"Ootori-san, I don't know how I can ever repay you."

On the other end of the line, Ootori smirked. "I did promise, didn't I? I'm not leaving you alone." And with that, the line clicked.

Tsuna immediately turned to his Guardians. "You won't believe what Ootori-san managed to do!"

Mukuro had stood up sometime during the phone call, and walked over. "Well? Don't keep us in suspense."

"The Kasanoda clan fighters- over five-hundred of them, are coming to help us defend Namimori. Ootori-san explained the situation to them and managed to arrange transport that will let them arrive tomorrow morning."

Gokudera blinked in amazement for a moment. "Wait, doesn't that mean he was expecting your decision all along, Jyuudaime?"

Tsuna flushed slightly and nodded. "I guess- I guess he was only being polite in telling me to leave Namimori… I guess I'm predictable."

"Nothing of the sort, Jyuudaime! Ootori Kyouya had a lucky guess, that's all!"

Suzume smiled slightly. "Well, there was always something about that Ootori that suggested he'd be useful for just about anything. We shouldn't underestimate people like him."

"Combined with the strength of the Vongola Tenth Generation and the fighters available in Namimori, this may actually be possible," Alice mused. "Mister Reborn and Seiji-san alone make up for another five-hundred men."

"But can we be sure that they'll fight?" Lancia asked.

Kiyoshi was leaning against the door of the meeting room. "Oh, I think they will." An image of a flustered Shizuka and Reborn and Seiji on the couch entered his mind. "They have something to fight for, after all. I wouldn't expect for them to join in our tactics, though."

Alice nodded. "In battle, those two have a record for being forces of nature, commandable by none- the Prince of Winter and the Strongest Hitman."

Tsuna felt a bit of curiousity at their titles. "Ne, just how did Reborn earn his title as the Strongest Hitman?"

Alice blinked. "He hasn't told you?"

Tsuna shook his head.

Alice shrugged. "There are multiple incidents that could have sparked it. The Vongola-Gallo War as a whole, the third Battle for the Palumbo, or even the dissolution of the Laguardia Famiglia, the first complete extermination on modern record."

Tsuna's head swum with all the unfamiliar names. He felt like he needed some extra classes in Mafia History.

"But really, as a personal opinion, I think he became the Strongest when no one dared to put him as second."

* * *

_Sunday, Palermo_

_Vongola Headquarters, approximately 12PM (Central European Time)_

Squalo was on edge.

The Asphodel Alliance hadn't made an attack for almost two whole days. While it let the Vongola forces recover, the strategist was deeply disturbed by the sudden break in assaults.

Xanxus, sitting in his armchair lazily, had a similar wary aura about him. Something wasn't right.

The two were alone in the room, the rest of the main Varia team out on tasks. Squalo kept glancing at the piano in the corner, leading Xanxus's thoughts to go in the same direction.

"Have you heard from him recently?" the boss asked gruffly, voice betraying not a single hint of worry, though Squalo knew better.

The silver-head shook his head. "I heard that Erminia is with him, though."

Silence resumed, a clock ticking loudly on the wall until Xanxus lifted a gun and shot it clean off its hook. He didn't need to use flames to use his extraordinary marksmanship.

But the silence that then engulfed the room was even heavier, almost unbearable. It was almost a relief when Levi slammed the door open, sweating from running, face pale.

"Bo-boss. We know why the Asphodel activity stopped. They've left for Japan. The entire Alliance."

There was a moment where time froze.

And then Xanxus stood, stalking out of the room at a much quicker pace than usual, Squalo at his heels, Levi scrambling to catch up.

* * *

_Monday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, 4:44AM_

Seiji stared at the glaring red numbers, and felt it in his bones. That feeling that used to send chills down his spine, that he hadn't felt in so long.

"Seiji?"

The Yukimura didn't turn to face Reborn.

"They're here."

Seiji stood, and walked over to his closet, rifling, and soon found one of a twin pair of long, silver handguns.

"…I thought you had discarded those a long time ago."

Seiji gave him a look that reminded the hitman far too much of the old days. It was the look worn by the Prince of Winter, not a pasta chef.

"Stop sitting there dawdling," the yellow-eyed man purred; the far too familiar, metallic sound of him loading his guns harsh on Reborn's ears.

"...It's begun."

* * *

_Monday, Namimori_

_Entotsu Apartments, approximately 5AM_

Mukuro sat up. He didn't exactly know what had woken him, but that wasn't strange.

He looked around, his clothes and sheets scattered across the kitchen floor, Lancia sleeping peacefully on the other side of the counter.

The illusionist was about to get up, but then something gripped him. He sat straight back down. He didn't ever want to leave his pile of blankets in the middle of Aoshima Kiyoshi's kitchen ever again.

What was that feeling?

It felt vaguely familiar- which meant that he probably knew what it was in one of his past lives. Most likely the human life, the fifth, where he had experienced the human world the most.

Mukuro's human life had been lived out in Europe, and he had tasted both the World Wars. It was probably an unfortunate time and place to be human, but it had just been the way things had ended up.

And Mukuro remembered the feeling he was experiencing at that moment from those times. He had fought in the Second war, and he remembered the feeling… the feeling of….

The disregard for civilian or military death. The cold snow. The…

Mukuro curled up slightly as he vaguely remembered how it felt to know that the morning sun would always rise on scarlet ground, how it felt to know that more battle and bloodshed was coming, and being unable to do anything about it.

No, he wasn't remembering it. He was living it.

Again.

* * *

_Monday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 6AM_

Akiyama Mitsuya shivered a little as he went out to water the plants beforethe sun came up and it became too warm.

Well, they weren't really plants yet. He was just sprinkling water on soil, really, but it was the principle of the thing.

Mitsu had often helped his aunt's family tend to their huge gardens whenever he had visited them as a child, and he had a fair idea of what Seiji was trying to teach them through rearing plants.

The thing about them was that no matter how carefully one planted, how exactly one looked after it, it would grow the way that it would grow. And as a gardener, one just had to deal with that. Accept it, perhaps prune a few small flaws, but accept that it would never be perfect.

People were sort of the same. The biggest step to learning to accept oneself was to accept that you'd never be perfect. Ever.

Mitsu suddenly froze stock still for a moment, a terrible shiver going up his spine. He looked up to one of the second-story windows…

* * *

_Monday, Namimori Forest_

_Yukimura Residence, approximately 6AM_

"I think even that kid down there felt it," Reborn mused, turning back to raise an eyebrow at Seiji.

"Though I'm surprised that you're still able to light that flame. I thought after Simonetta's death, it'd be out of reach for you."

Seiji smiled. Not his rainbows-and-sunshine happy-pasta-chef smile, but the smile that told Reborn that there was something Seiji knew that he didn't, and it wasn't the right time to out it yet.

Reborn shook his head. "Perfect balance, perfect purity. I doubt there's a flame of that caliber anywhere else in the world."

"Your own flame purity isn't exactly average either," Seiji deadpanned.

"You- four flame types, balanced so perfectly they merge. At such a high purity that they become one colour. A flame that encompasses the forces of an entire season of skies…"

The other shrugged, adjusting his scarf.

"What kind of Prince of Winter would I be if I didn't have a Winter flame?"

* * *

_Monday, Unknown location (Japan)_

_Tent, approximately 6AM _

The leader of the Asphodel Alliance was known simply as Estate to most of his subordinates. Though why the Italian man insisted on being called 'Summer' was beyond any of them.

He had indistinguishing dark brown hair, peppered with white, indicating some age. He was always wearing sunglasses whenever he saw people, and spoke very little face-to-face.

He stroked a photo with a tender hand, of a man, a woman, and a child.

"Maria…"

He set down the photo.

Maria had been his last link. All that he had left. And they-

Shinich himself, he-

No, he hadn't known what he'd been doing. The poor boy had no idea. He had been raised separate from her.

In the end, it was still _that man_ that had ruined everything. It was his fault that…

"Yukimura Seiji."

Estate chuckled, and then laughed, throwing his head back, tears flowing from underneath his sunglasses.

"I will have my revenge… for everything."


End file.
